Thank You
by whatarefishfingers
Summary: Another girl comes to live at the pie shop, but like Sweeney, the ghosts of the past come back to haunt her. Toby isn't much help, jealousy gripping his heart. Sweeney denies the Benjamin she brings out in him. It seems Lovett is the only one to love her.
1. Hello

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! NOT EVEN THE GIRL'S NAME! That is off the anime show, '_Inuyasha', _which I love dearly! But everything is about her belongs to me, seeing as she is kinda my mini me (becuz I'M vein, I know)**

**And If I owned Sweeney Todd, I guarantee you an ending very much like the big Sweenett stories you read on here, so obivously, since that did not happen, I OWN NOTHING!**

* * *

She knocked rapidly on the door and waited outside the building, the rain causing her long, raven black pigtails to stick to her face as she stood there shivering violent on the spot. After a few moments, the only sound in the stormy night the girl's teeth chattering loudly and the thunder crashing, a middle aged woman with large, messy Auburn curls, whom She assumed was Mrs. Lovett herself, answered the door.

She had to look up to see the woman's face, her small stature once again one of her worst flaws. The baker looked to her left and right, trying to find who had knocked on her door with a curious glint in her eyes. "Um, excuse me?" the girl bit out shyly. Mrs. Lovett looked down at her and gasped in surprise, a sweet smile spreading across her pale face.

"Oh, I'm sorry, love! Can' really blame me, wot with you bein' so small an' all!" she giggled silently, her Victorian accent shining through undoubtedly. "Wots a thing like you doing 'ere, love?" She asked, kneeling down so they were eye to eye. Before she could answer, the girl was quickly being dragged into the shop, the bell tinkering behind them as it shut behind them. "Oh, won't ya come in, love? Its migh'y awful weather out there! Wot with the rain an' all," chimed Mrs. Lovett as she sat the small girl down in one of her booths, the tatters of her green ragged dress shielding her feet as they dangled just above the floor.

She recoiled in her shawl like a turtle in its shell, looking nervously at the ground as her face neared hers. "Oh, come now," soothed the woman gently as she leaned in. "Don' tell me you're afraid of little 'ole me, are ya, love?" she asked playfully with a smile.

The raven haired girl shook her head furiously, "Oh no, mam! I've heard, out of the bottom of your heart, that you had taken in a young worker boy. And I must say, its the most generous thing I've heard anyone do! What with the times..." she trailed off, looking into the woman's chocolate brown eyes as her teeth chattered quietly.

Mrs. Lovett smiled sweetly. "Well, thank ya, deary. 'E was just comin' along with tha' cruel master of 'is and after we-" she trailed of, thinking of how to put murder in a way that didn't sound illegal.

"Dealt with 'im somewhat reasonably, 'e agreed to 'ave 'im stay with us." the lie rolled off her tongue easily as she held back a chuckle on _reasonably_. The girl's face flashed a quick nervous smile back, her smile falling as fast as it had came. She continued to look at the baker as if expecting her to say more, biting her lower lip nervously, as if fighting to keep her own words in her mouth. Lovett quickly noticed this and asked gently, with an understanding smile and slightly raised brow, "Is there somethin' ya wanted to say, love?"

Her eyes narrowed toward the door, a light blush crossing her face. "Oh, Well...never mind, its too much to ask-", "Now, love, I'm sure its nothin' that I can't 'elp you with!" insisted Mrs. Lovett lovingly, patting the girl on the back comfortingly.

She faced her with a slight frown. "Well, Mam, I would be ever so grateful," she began quietly. "And I would work and clean and do all that you ask of me, behave absolutely perfectly, you wouldn't even know I was there!" she insisted pleadingly.

"But...if you could find it in your heart, would care ever so slightly... taking me in?" Before She had registered what she had said, Mrs. Lovett jumped, startled, as the girl threw herself at her feet, sobbing loudly into her hands.

"Oh please! I don't eat much, if anything at all! I would even obliged to sleeping outside if that is what you wished!" she choked out another sob, tears running down her face. Lovett was nothing if not shocked at that moment. She had never known a child, one as young as she probably was, to have not a place to go. Even when the workhouses were full, most of the homeless children were taken by the richer as servants. Even here in London, the baker had never seen a child go to a stranger's home and beg for shelter.

"There there, love," She cooed as she stroked her long, matted raven hair. After a few minuets of her trying to pull herself together, the girl lay in the baker's arms as she spoke gently, "I would love to 'ave you live with me. Me gentle 'eart could never turn away a lass such as yourself."

She pulled back and looked at the woman's face for any indication that she was lying, expecting a laugh in the face and a kick in the bottom back out into the streets, but to her uttered shock, she found none. She was speechless, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

"Oh, I promise, you won't regret it!" she cried happily, throwing herself into her arms. After a few moments, the baker pulled back to look at the girl with an assuring smile, "Now, all we 'ave to do is see 'ow Mr. T feels 'bout this all."

The child looked up at her, biting her lower lip nervously, but Mrs. Lovett just gave a small smile, "Don't worry, love, 'm sure 'e'll just adore ya." She insisted cheerfully, trying to hide the nervous stutter that threatened to creep into her tone.

She gave a small smile, summing what ever confidence she had at that moment into that small smile to show that she trusted the baker, no matter how little of time she knew her. She was the only person to ever show her any kindness, and for that, she trusted her. As Mrs. Lovett held her hand tight in reassurance, the two walked upstairs and nervously knocked on the door.

There was a short pause before a low grunt was heard. The baker gave her a small playful smirk like this was normal, and it was.

She pushed the door open to find the demon barber polishing his beloved 'friends' while facing the window, glaring out at the world in hatred. The raven haired girl tilted her head to the side like a puppy in curiosity, wondering who this mysterious man was. She spoke up casually, "Mr. T," He grunted again and continued to ignore her.

_Hmpf! He shouldn't be so rude, _she thought to herself. The baker cleared her throat. "We 'ave a guest,".

There was a short pause before Sweeney turned to face the two. He showed no surprise, but irritation at the girl as she in turn gasped at his frightening appearance and jumped behind the baker.

"She-", "No." he said before she could finish, his low, dark tone hanging there in the silence for a moment. Mrs. Lovett looked slightly taken aback. "'Ow can you-", "Isn't the bloody boy enough for you?" he interrupted her again in a growl. Just now remembering that there was already a child living in the shop, the girl held in a sigh and starting toward the door. "Now, love-" Mrs. Lovett tried to stop her.

"Don't stop her," the barber spoke up lowly. "At least the girl knows when shes not wanted." he turned back to the window. She flinched slightly at his words, the truth more painful then just thinking, and continued walking.

She stopped and faced the pair, even if he wasn't looking at her. "I'm sorry to have bothered you." she apologized, her voice cracking slightly with unshed tears as she bowed her head and went out the door, her fast footsteps echoed loud in the silent room. The baker shot the barber a venomous glare as she spat out, "'Ow can ya be so cruel?" He didn't look at her. "The world is cruel, Mrs. Lovett. If we had taken her in she would be nothing but trouble-", "NO, SHE WOULDN'T!" she yelled out, causing the barber to whip around and stare her with wide, alarmed eye as she stomped up behind him.

"She was an innocent girl with no 'ome an' she was more than obliged to work an' eat as little as possible an' even sleep outside!" she fumed, jabbing her thin, pale finger into his chest while she stared a hole into his surprised stricken face. "Tha' girl was nothin' but an angel who would 'ave been more than eternally grateful to anyone who'd care to give 'er even a scrap of food an' love!" by now she could feel her cheeks being flushed with anger as she panted form her out burst.

Sweeney just stood there and stared at her like she grown an extra head. Then, after a few moments, his face turned back into its stony blank. "I'm more than certain _Benjamin_ would be more than delighted to 'elp 'er." and with that, Mrs. Lovett walked out after the girl, leaving the murderous barber with his thoughts.

* * *

She was half way across the room when she heard the two yell, or really just Mrs. Lovett. She felt bad about making them fight, but the way that man, Mr. Todd was what the baker had called him, watched her, she couldn't help but fear his stone hard gaze. Nor could she stand the darkness of his eyes any longer, it brought back too many unwanted memories.

He had even said she wasn't wanted and she begun to believe him. It didn't matter if Mrs. Lovett had wanted her not, the case being she probably didn't, not really. Maybe she just wasn't meant to be loved. She had made her way to the door and had her hand on the knob when she heard Mrs. Lovett's footsteps pound on the staircase behind her.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Lovett, for bothering you," she began, giving her a weak smile. "Oh no, Dear-" ,"No, Its alright. I should have known better than to just barge in and assume a home. I'm so sorry to cause you and... that man any trouble." she said as she turned her attention to the door.

"Now, deary," the baker grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a tight hug, from which she did not struggle or pull back. After a while she pulled back and looked at the girl, her eyes and face softened. "What's your name, love?" .

"Its Kagome, ma'am" she replied. "'Ow old are ya, Love?" she asked. " Seven, ma'am" She had never had Birthday or anything of the sort. She was just there, doing what others instructed her to do and nothing more. The only way she knew how old she was at all were the number of times she had seen snow, being told that she was born in the winter some time. "You ain't got no one?" Lovett asked gently, the pity in her voice glazed over with sweet, motherly affection.

Kagome shook her head, "No mam, I ain't got no one" she replied, trying to mimic what she had said. A warm smile came to her face, "Well now ya do." she pulled her into a warm embrace.

A few moments later, after getting over the surprise, the girl looked at Mrs. Lovett with curious eyes. "But what about-", "Now don' you worry, Love. I'll take care of 'im. I ain't gonna let you go ou' there by yerself." she smiled and hugged her tightly. It took Kagome a moment to process the information that she had just collect, the fact that she was going to have a home now, before her heart softened in the baker's arms. "Thank you." she whispered, making Mrs. Lovett's heart twitch with happiness at her desperate tone as a single tear slid down her smiling face.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, so, this is the beginng of my first Sweeney Todd fanfiction. I hope you all like it because it took awhile getting out most of the plot holes (sorry if there are stil too many for your liking) Hopeful you like it and leave a review!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Mrs. Lovett had sent the girl to sleep in her bedroom, not wanting her to see if anything got ugly between her and Mr. Todd. "Night, love." she called as she begins to close the door. "Are you sure you want me to sleep in your bed? I'm sure I'd do just fine in the parlor or outside." Kagome squeaks as she sits up, looking very tiny compared to the large comforter and pillows that encircled her.

"No No, dear, s'no trouble t'all!" she assures the girl with a wave of her hand and a cheery smile. "Now, you better be gettin' some sleep.", "Thank you, miss. I do, oh so appreciate it!" she thanked her once again cheerfully as she lays back down, her little head sinking into the pillows like a rock to water, her black hair fanning out around her pale face. Mrs. Lovett smiles sweetly at the girl as she closes the door quietly and makes her way upstairs.

She doesn't bother knocking as she lets herself into the barber's shop like always. He was exactly where she had left him, polishing his precious razors and staring out the window broodingly.

"She had better be gone." his nearly emotionless voice sliced through the silence. It took Mrs. Lovett awhile to come up with an answer that wouldn't have him raving mad at her and say how she wanted to keep the girl, but so far, that didn't seem possible.

"Mr. T, I think-", "No, I want her gone." Sweeney interrupts, not looking at her. She didn't think he could get more cruel than slicing the throats of blokes that wonder innocently into his shop for a shave, so she tried holding up her building frustration, and tried again.

"Mr. T, Maybe if you could at least talk to 'er-", "NO!" he turned around and faced his landlady, his eyes flaming with anger. Mrs. Lovett took a Small step back, hoping he wouldn't lunge at her. "I was wrong to let you keep the bloody boy, I sure as hell am NOT going to let you have your bloody way by keeping her!" he roared, his hand clenching into fists at his side. She had fear in her eyes and it was obvious, but she fought the urge to run away.

"I ain't gonna keep 'er and treat 'er like my child!" she yells back, summing up what little back bone his shouting had left her. The barber was slightly taken aback, despite his stony appearace. He thought she was keeping the children to treat them like her own, as opposed to the fact that she never had children of her own. Or as far as he was aware of.

Seeing his face calm just the slightest, she knew she was heading the right way. "She would just be 'ere for work! An' you saw 'ow she was afraid of ya, she ain't gonna bother ya!" his face was unmoving, looking at her and not out into space."Besides, the poor thing ain't got no one or no else where t'go-" wrong turn.

"No, I won't have you get attached to another child." Sweeney growls, facing his window again. She sighed. One step forward, two steps back.

"I mean, since she ain't got no one or no where to go," she started again, more calmly. "_If _she found out, s'not like she can go to the law, We'd be 'er only 'ome." she finished and started slowly toward the door.

When she reached the door, Mrs. Lovett paused to see if Sweeney had changed his mind. When there was nothing but silence, she sighed heavily and shook her head as she pushed the door open. She caught as she put a foot over the threshold.

"...Keep her down stairs and she is to _never _come up. You are responsible for her." his low voice whispers at the last second. She knew better than to start thanking him like crazy, so she settled for smiling weakly and whispered, "Thank you, Dear. I just know she's gonna be perfectly fine." and with that, she quickly walked out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

* * *

Her wide grin was starting to hurt, but she couldn't get rid out of it. Her only thoughts were, _There still is some Benjamin in him, after all_. But she knew that he was still Sweeney Todd and that he just allowed Kagome to stay because she wouldn't leave him alone about it, but it didn't matter the reason he let her stay, the only thing the baker wrapped her mind around was that he did.

She slowly slid the door open and saw the young girl, sound asleep. "Mum?" a small voice called sleepily behind her. Mrs. Lovett jumped slightly and turned to face the boy. "Yes, Toby?" asked the woman silently with a small sigh.

"Wot are ya lookin' at in there?" he asked, craning his head to try to sneak a peek inside. "Well, let's just say your gonna be havin' a friend from now on." She was tired and not too in the mood to explain the whole thing.

"But-", "Not now, Toby, I'm awfully tired." she yawned, her voice laced with annoyance. He held his tongue and nodded slowly, his eyes filled with curiosity "Don' worry, you'll meet 'er tomorrow." Mrs Lovett assured him with a sweet smile. Toby nodded and she patted his head and sent him off to bed. Afterward, the baker walked into her room and when she shut the door, almost instantly Kagome shot up., startled.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she jumped out of the bed and quickly went for the door. Mrs. Lovett giggled slightly and grabbed her wrist and held her to her chest. "Now now, dear I didn't mean to wake ya. I just wanted to tell ya that Mr. T said you could stay!" she told the young girl happily.

She looked up at her hopefully. "Really? He really said I could stay?" Mrs. Lovett thought her eyes couldn't be filled with more hope than hers. "Yes, Love. 'E said that you could live with us. You just can' go up in 'is shop, is all." she replied cheerfully.

The girl tilted her head once again, her chocolate brown eyes glancing upward. "Why? What's in there?" she asked innocently. Mrs. Lovett licked her lips and tried to come up with a good lie, trying not to stutter too much"Um, Well, 'es a b-barber and 'e doesn' w-want you to g-get into 'is things an' hurt yourself i-is all." Well, at least she was only partly lying.

Kagome's smile returned and she nodded. There was a short pause. "Uh...Where do I sleep?" the girl asked awkwardly, a nervous smile on her face. "Why with me, Love!" she laughed, but the girl still looked confused.

"Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn't mind at all to sleep somewhere that wouldn't be a bother to you," she said, slightly recoiling back. The woman just gave her a sweet smile and pattered her on the back. "You are an angel," she sighed contently. "But I'm sure me bed is plenty big for the two of us." The Kagome smiled and nodded, her matted black mane shaking against her round, pale face.

Mrs. Lovett watched as she climbed into bed and snuggled against the comforter. The baker could feel herself yawn with fatigue and climbed in lazily also.

She brought the small girl close to her chest and pulled the blankets over the two of them. "Good night, Deary." she yawned again tiredly. when she didn't get a reply she looked down to see that she had already fallen asleep, her eyes closed, small chest rising and falling with each little breath. _She does look jus' like an angel, _Mrs. Lovett thinks to herself sweetly. Another smile found its way on her face as she falls into a deep slumber herself.

* * *

Sweeney didn't know what was happening to himself. He knew that letting her keep Toby was going to be a problem in the future, already getting too nosy for his own good now!

But now he had another child to deal with.

If he had his way with the situation, he'd sliced the girl's throat when she first stepped into his shop, but No, his landlady had to let her stay out of pity. "That damned woman is gonna be the death of me." he muttered softly to himself as he stared out the window.

Sweeney didn't care much for the morning sun, all it did to him was remind him of his late wife's golden curls and lightened up the figures of all the insignificant ant-like people and . "They all deserve to die" he growled to himself as he watched them all scatter about the street.

The sound of three small knocks at his door interrupted his usual brooding. "Who is it?'' Sweeney yelled without turning from his spot at the window. It irritated him that he now had to ask who would be knocking at his door. Normally he'd only have to guess between the boy and Mrs. Lovett, which it was almost always the baker. Now there was another life in his home. Another life that deserved to die.

"Its me, Mr. T..." Kagome's small high-pitched voice squeaked through the wooden door. The barber flinched at the little girl's voice._ That has GOT to be the most ANNOYING sound I've ever heard!_, he thought to himself, fighting the urge to mouth this thought.

The raven haired girl waited to hear him grunt in reply before carefully opening the door and shyly take a few steps inside. "I brought your breakfast." she told him quietly, offering a small smile even though he wouldn't look at her.

He was slightly taken aback by the gesture, assuming she would be too intimated by his stature to come near him. He obviously underestimated her. Sweeney turned his body to the wall to face her, giving her a profile view of his face, but not being able to really see her.

The barber thought for sure she'd avoid him at all cost, already sensing her uncomfortable nervousness. "Mrs. Lovett told me you don't eat much, but I thought your job must be tiring so I brought some up for you anyway!" Kagome chirped happily as she attempted a sweet smile.

Sweeney's eyes flashed that of panic for a moment. _Did that idiot baker tell her? _he screamed in his head, fearing the worst. He turned to face her and was slightly taken aback by her new appearance.

She was wearing a simple light blue dress that stopped at her ankles, the hem laced with simple little white frills that were barley noticeable if you didn't look close enough, which was quite a change from the potato sack she had wore the night before.

Her long raven black hair was brushed and transformed from its 'matted mane' look to silk water falls done in high pig tails that spilled past her elbows, her pale, thin arms stretched up and vanished under round, light blue shoulder puffs laced with white frills.

It was quite a change from the other dresses he'd seen women wear. Many women wore dresses that were for too fancy and overdone in weird patterns and far too many ribbons and frills. But her dress was old fashionably simple, yet appealing to her nature, no extra nothings.

"Where did... you get that?" Sweeney asked quietly, his eyes skimming over her new attire. Kagome looked down at herself, her cheeks flushed. "M-Mrs. Lovett gave it to me. S-she said she used to have it, but now she has no need." she replied, looking at her feet like they were the most interesting thing in the room.

The barber stared at her almost shockingly. He hadn't gotten a good look a the girl, but now that he had, he could see the ghostly white pale skin of hers. It challenged even his and Lovett's ghastly complexion! Soon, he turned to face his window once again.

"Sit it on the vanity." he ordered in a low grunt. She did so and turned to leave when something caught her eye. The girl turned back to the vanity and spotted Sweeney's picture of his late wife and child.

She couldn't help but stare at the image, thinking this is what a family is. All her life, she'd seen people suffer, dying of starvation, beatings, and much worse. She'd never seen a proper family.

Sweeney turned his head slightly, thinking why she'd hadn't left yet. His eyes widened in alarm as he saw her pick of his family portrait and stare at the image with wide, doe-like eyes. He rushed over in a flash and snatched the picture up, shoving the girl to the floor.

Kagome looked up at him in fear for a moment. Then, almost like getting hit by a large brick to the face, she realized she had invaded his person privacy. Thinking how she had not seen the two in the picture, she quickly figured that they were his _deceased_ family. She stood up and bowed humbly, "I'm sorry I invaded your personal things. I was just...curious." she said sincerely as she made her way to the door. Sweeney grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. "What do you mean you were 'curious'?" he sneered angrily in her face.

She looked at him for a moment, then her face softened with a sad smile, as if she might cry. "Well, I've never seen a happy family before and _they,_" she nodded to the picture gripped tightly in his hand. Kagome dropped her head momentarily then slowly looked at him with teary eyes. "They seem so...happy."

She looked away and closed her eyes, expecting to be hit, but it never came. Instead, the barber slowly released her and told her sharply, "Get out." and to the door she flew.

* * *

She rushed downstairs with a smile on her face and immediately began helping Mrs. Lovett and Toby with the pies. "'Ow did Mr. T treat ya today, love?" the baker asked when she spotted the young girl.

"'E didn't bit ya or nothing, did 'e, love?" she laughed, but instantly looked serious. Kagome served more customers and didn't look at her as she weaved her way through the crowd. "No, he just took his food and I left." she said cheerfully with a concealing smile. She didn't want to make the two fight on her account again, the feeling of blame and guilt too much for her to bare.

She looked at her doubtfully, but dismissed the idea. The rest of the day, it was like Mrs. Lovett didn't have anything to do. When the baker turned to do something, she had already done it. "I'm just thanking you for talking me in." she'd always reply if ever asked why she had done these things.

Kagome was just cleaning up the kitchen as the baker was resting in the parlor when Toby came up behind her with a rag. "Here, Kagome, let me do this." the boy said as he leaned in to the table. But she had bumped him away.

"No, I can do it. You go play." she replied without looking at him. "But I'm older than you! You're the one that should go play!" he argued. "Only by 3 or more years." she muttered.

The girl ignored him and continued to wipe until the tables were sparkling clean. Kagome stepped back and admired her work. "OK, now that you're done," Toby began. "Let me wipe the-", "Oh there's no need! I've already cleaned the whole place!" she girl replied smugly.

He looked around to find this true, everything he saw was shining clean. "Well, that's OK, I can help-", "Oh, don't worry! I'm helping Mrs. Lovett with the customers tomorrow!" Kagome interrupted him as she walked by.

By now, Toby was starting to feel something he assumed was anger, but what did he have to be angry about? The girl was doing all his chores for him and just about all the work.

The raven haired girl made her way to Mrs. Lovett's room. "night, Toby." she called as she disappeared. Even with her gone, the boy could almost hear the curses going on in his head.

* * *

The next day was rather boring for the baker and the young boy. The raven haired child had been up before dawn, getting things ready for the shop to open, although Mrs. Lovett said that making the pies was her job alone and the young girl had respected her wishes and left her to it.

Instead, the she chattered away at the customers and served said pies. Toby had little to do, and this made him slightly irritated. Watching Kagome getting praise for things he could easily do.

The boy would have done these things if Kagome hadn't already beaten him to it. "Kagome..." he heard the baker call from a small table. The raven haired girl turned her way.

"Yes, Mrs. Lovett?" she asked with a cheerfully smile that almost made him want to hit her. "Could ya get rid o' the old woman by the door? Shes always sitting 'round here!" she complained. Toby mentally smacked himself, how could he not notice! Here he was complaining about Mrs. Lovett praising and thanking Kagome for doing everything he normally did and yet he didn't notice the very thing he did the most.

The girl smiled and nodded and made her way there. The old beggar woman was standing by the door way and twitching crazily.

Kagome slowly approached the old woman, not wanting to get hit or anything. "Um...Miss?" Lucy snapped her head toward the small voice, making her jump in fright. "Uh...I'm gonna have to ask you to leave. You're scaring away the customers." she trailed off, looking into her shadow covered face.

Kagome heard the beggar sigh. "Oh, such a dear you are. Not a weasel or witch's daughter, nope, not a grass Hopper you!" she said sweetly, for once not talking gibberish...almost.

The raven haired child stared at her as if she'd grown two heads. She might as well have. Kagome slowly backed away as Lucy took a step toward her. "What are you-", "Witch! Witch lives here! Fire! must get you outta here, little hopper!" she yelled as she grabbed Kagome's arm and began dragging her out of the shop.

"Hey! Let me go!" shouted the girl as she tried to yanked her arms away from the scary beggar, but it was no use. Lucy had her nasty nails digging into her flesh too deep.

Toby saw this and ran to her aid, but stopped as he thought of something. If Kagome was gone, just for a little bit, he'd have his chance to show Mrs. Lovett that he was just as helpful as the little street mouse that had been annoying him.

He turned around and tended to the customers, hoping the girl wouldn't really be hurt as she continued screaming, but no one paid attention to her until, "What the bloody 'ell is with the all the screaming?"

shit.

Mrs. Lovett rushed from her place at the end of the stairs (when did she leave the room, exactly?) over to the beggar and tried desperately to pull Kagome out of her grasp, but Lucy held on tight. "Let the girl go now!" the baker shouted, but the beggar just growled an animal growl. "Evil witch! Not gonna take me grass jumper to the fire!" she screamed as she continued to pull on the girl more desperately.

This continued for a while until a final tug on Kagome's arm sent her flying into the shop. The baker gasped and looked at Lucy with disgust. "Get outta 'ere, you crazy woman!" and with that, Lucy left, muttering something about mischief.

Toby pulled the poor girl to her feet, looking as innocent as ever. She dusted her dress and began serving customers once again. Mrs. Lovett walked over to her. "Oh, I'm so sorry I wasn't 'ere for ya-", "No, It was my fault. I should have known from the look at her that she was a crazy one." Kagome said cheerfully with an innocent smile.

The baker looked at her worriedly. "Did she hurt you?" she asked nervously. The girl shook her head. "No, she just yanked my arm a little, that's all." she assured. But upon looking at her forearm, Mrs. Lovett saw Lucy had brought out deep, long bloody streaks that continued to drip blood onto the wooden floors.

Mrs. Lovett gasped in horror. She had pulled Kagome so fiercely from Lucy that her nails must have dug into her skin and ripped her flesh. "Oh, Dear, I'm so sorry!" she gasped again as she took Kagome's bloody arm in her hands gently to examine the damage.

The girl gasped and pulled her arm away from the baker's grasp. "Oh, I'm sorry!" she said quickly as she covered her bleeding arm with her dress. She almost instantly grabbed a nearby clothe and began wiping away the blood on the wooden floor boards.

Mrs. Lovett stared at the girl in shock. She had hurt her to the point of excessive bleeding and she was sorry for leaving a mess? She pulled Kagome into her bed room and began looking for first aid kit to bandage her arm.

"We 'ave to get that wound bandaged or it'll get infected, it will," The baker said softly as she wrapped the girl's arm in bandages. Kagome stared at her, almost afraid to speak. She had never been cared for and she thought this was her way of trying to inflict pain on her, which to her surprise, it actually felt good, seeing the blood being soaked up as it ceased its blood flow.

"I'm sorry for leaving so much blood," she squeaked as she looked down at the floor in shame. Mrs. Lovett's head shot to the girl's face. "Oh, now dear, that wasn't you! It' s me that 'urt ya, I did." The baker replied guiltily.

The girl just continued to look guilty as she continued to blame herself. After her arm was bandaged, Mrs. Lovett began walking back to the shop.

She began to follow her until the baker pushed her gently onto the bed. "Now now, deary, You aren't doing any work with that arm," said Mrs. Lovett kindly as she tucked her in. Kagome looked at the baker doubtfully. "Are you sure you won't need me to do anything for you?" she asked shyly.

Lovett shook her head. "No, not a thing. You better get to restin' if ya want that arm to 'eal properly." she said with a small smile. The raven haired child looked at her curiously.

"You...want me to get better?" she asked nervously. Mrs. Lovett looks at her like she was as crazy as Lucy. "Why o' course, Love! I wouldn't want ya that to get infected and 'ave you get sick!" the baker replied, trying to hide the shock in her voice.

The girl cracked a heart warming smile before muttering a thank you and fell quickly asleep. When the baker came back out to serve the customers, she bumped into Toby, who was giving out drinks to a few men. "Toby..." she called to him. He shot her a smile before rushing over.

"What ya need done, mum?" he asked in a little too prideful tone. Lovett eyed him suspiciously before asking him, "Where were you when Kagome was gettin' attacked by that crazy ol' woman?"

Double Shit.

* * *

**A/N: Oh, Noez! Toby, you mean little boy, how dare you leave Kagome all by herslef with that...thing. Ooh, you're gonna get it now! :}**

**Yeah, I'm kinda aware how long this got. Sorry about that, its just I was on a roll and didn't feel like stopping, seeing as I have nothing better to do (I need to get a life LOL) **


	3. Chapter 3

Toby felt his heart race as he tried to come up with an answer. She'd seen him standing against the counter too many times for him to say he was else where and if he told the truth, surely he would be in for a lashing. "Uh..." he said uncomfortably.

Mrs. Lovett continued to look at him suspiciously as he just stood there and stared at her with alarmed eyes. The boy was praying for a miracle and luckily, the fates were kind enough to him to do so.

There was a blood curdling pierced the air and Toby felt relieve and fright wash over him at the same . Lovett looked up and hurried to the stairs as the customers all jumped in there seats. They all looked to Toby for answers.

"Uh..." the boy stuttered. "Probably jus' the barber up stairs. Sure 'e cut 'imself" he assured them as they then continued to eat the human flesh pies.

* * *

Mrs. Lovett quickly ran up the stairs and hoped Sweeney hadn't had a fighter on his hands. But when she opened the door she was met with an even worse image.

Kagome was kicking wildly as she strangled. Sweeney, covered in blood, shook her wildly. "You rotten, no good, sneaky BRAT!" he spat in her face. Kagome gave a whimper as she stopped kicking and rest her hands on his, which were squeezed tightly around her throat.

"Mr. T!" Mrs. Lovett yelled she as rushed over to pull the girl out of the barber's grasp. He refused to let go as the baker tried to pry his hands off the little girl's throat.

"Mr. T STOP!" she screamed. He showed no sign of hearing her as he continued to shake the girl. Kagome closed her eyes and started gasping desperately for air. "Sweeney! Stop NOW!" begged the baker as she dug her nails into his hands.

Kagome's hands slowly slipped and fell limp at her sides as she started breathing at a dangerously slow rate. "BENJAMIN!" that did it.

Sweeney gasped at the name and let the girl drop to the floor. Mrs. Lovett threw herself to the young girl's side and hugged her tightly as she sucked in air so fast she began to cough. "Shh...its OK, love. I'm 'ere, don't worry, I'm right 'ere..." she cooed as Kagome was catching her breath.

Sweeney stared wide eyed at them, not really looking at them, but stunned that Mrs. Lovett had used his old name. Mrs. Lovett snapped her head to him, hitting him repeatedly with her eyes.

"What the bloody 'ell is wrong with ya?" she screamed. The barber was snapped out of his trance like state. "What...?" he asked breathlessly. "What the 'ell were ya doin' to 'er?" Mrs. Lovett continued to scream.

Rage filled the barber, "That sneaky little brat tried to steal my razors!" he shouted, pointing at the girl. "I'm sure you're just being stupid, she would never-", "Oh, and how would you know?" Sweeney yelled again.

Mrs. Lovett looked at Kagome shameful face and back at Sweeney. "Because shes a perfect 'ittle angel and I 'ave more than enough reasons ta think you'd misunderstand!" The baker barked. Sweeney opened his mouth to shout again, but Mrs. Lovett stood up and carried Kagome toward the door.

"Where the Hell do you think you're taking her? The little Brat needs to be punished!" he hollered as he went after them. Mrs. Lovett ignored him and took Kagome to her bed room.

She bumped into Toby, who was carrying a bottle of gin. He looked alarmed but then worried as he saw Kagome's face buried in the bakers chest. "Wot 'appened to 'er?" he asked as he touched the young girl's shoulder.

Kagome flinched at his touch and clung , if possible, tighter to the baker. "Mr. T was trying to kill the poor girl!" she shouted, louder than she meant to be.

Mrs. Lovett walked past the boy and went straight for the bedroom. She gently laid Kagome down on the bed and stroked her hair. They sat there in silence for a moment before Kagome muttered, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lovett..." The baker gasped and pulled away to looked at the girl's tear filled eyes.

"Oh now, dear! Don't tell me you really tried to steal Mr. T's razors, did ya?" she asked nervously. "I..." there was a short silence. "Didn't steal...the razors..."

Mrs. Lovett gave a sigh of relief as she hugged the girl. "Then why didn't you say something, darlin'?" she asked. Kagome looked up at her. "Because Mr. Todd thought I did and...I didn't want him to feel wrong..." she whispered.

Mrs. Lovett stared at her wide eyed and and could almost feel tears at the corners of her eyes. "Then...what were ya doin' in his shop? I thought I put ya to bed anyway?" the baker asked.

"I saw one of his razors sitting on your dresser..." she pointed to the large wooden dresser that had a bunch of junk resting on it. "And I thought I should return it or he'd be mad at you for having it in here. When you were talking to Toby, I slipped by and slipped into the room-", "He didn't see ya?" Mrs. Lovett asked. Kagome looked away.

"He was helping a customer..."

_Oh shit_

Mrs. Lovett urged her to continue, hoping she didn't see anything she shouldn't have. "He didn't seem to notice me so i sneaked by and place d the razor on his vanity and heard a cutting sound...

_Double shit_

"When I turned around the guy was gone and Mr. Todd was covered in blood...

_Oh no..._

"That's when he saw me and he grabbed my throat and... I'm sorry..." Kagome apologized. Mrs. Lovett was surprised by two things: One, she didn't seem too curious or even seemed to care that he was covered in blood and his customer suddenly disappearing within seconds. Two, she was actual apologizing!

The baker hugged her tightly. "Now, dear, why would ya ever need to apologize for something that Mr. T had done?" Mrs. Lovett asked. Kagome continued to look at the covers.

"For screaming..." replied the girl quietly. Mrs. Lovett gasped and pulled back to look at her face, her eyes spilling over. "Wha...what?" the baker asked breathlessly. "I shouldn't have screamed. I should have took my punishment. I should have known better than to interrupt Mr. Todd. I should have-" Kagome was cut off by being pulled into a tight bear hug.

"Oh, Darling! You've done nothin' wrong! Don't ever think you should be punished for trying to help. Mr. Todd is just a stupid ol' git! Don' you be listening to anything that bastard says..." she whispered in her ear.

Kagome hugged her back and they sat there for what seemed like the whole night. It was a few hours later when Mrs. Lovett decided to right this wrong. She carried Kagome out of the room and started up the stairs.

Toby was passed out on the couch and it seemed about past midnight. But the baker didn't care, she wasn't going to have Sweeney upsetting this poor girl and having her blame herself for something he'd been too stupid to understand.

She didn't bother to knock as she pushed open the door and found the barber sitting in his chair and looking straight ahead, lost in his thoughts. Kagome gripped Mrs. Lovett's dress in her little fists and tensed up, slightly afraid the baker had brought her up here to be punished.

This just made the baker more angry, knowing Sweeney had caused the girl to feel as if all things were her fault. Mrs. Lovett breathed through her nose as she then approached the barber.

"Mr. T..." she began, not bothering to hide the anger in her voice. He snapped his head to face the two with a completely blank expression. Kagome flinched as she felt his intense on her form. He watched the girl flinch and his eyes slid up to face the baker.

"You've come to your senses and are gonna let me give the brat a lashing?" asked Sweeney emotionless. Kagome didn't move and didn't say anything as she looked up at the baker.

Mrs. Lovett would have slapped him, she really would if she hadn't been holding the young girl. Sweeney suddenly felt a slight pang of...what was that? Nervousness? Surprised? Fear?

The baker's eyes widened in anger at his question. "She didn't try to steal your damned razors" spoke Mrs. Lovett, trying to hide the anger, but failing. Sweeney stood up and towered over the baker, but she didn't feel intimidated.

Mrs. Lovett nodded toward Kagome. They both eyed her and she felt nervous, thinking she was going to be hit. "I-I found it i-in 's r-room..." she said nervously.

Sweeney looked at her suspiciously. "I came to bring it back, but you were with someone and didn't see me so..." she trailed off, looking at his intense eyes on her. "I slipped-", "Sneaked by..." he growled.

Mrs. Lovett snapped her head to face him with eyes that seemed to slap him. "Yes...I put back on your vanity..." Kagome pointed weakly to his desk with a large mirror over it with is barbering tools on it.

"Then you saw me and..." she looked at the floor. Mrs. Lovett shot daggers at the barber as he faced her with slightly surprised eyes. There was short awkward silence until Kagome spoke up.

"I...I guessed I deserved it..." she said softly. Mrs. Lovett held her tighter and stroked her hair. "There there, love. S'not your fault..." she whispered to young girl. The baker stared at Sweeney with a stone blank expression that nearly sent chills down his back.

"Mr. T was just being... a bit too rash for 'is own good." said the baker aloud. The barber would normally yell and probably hit the woman if it weren't for this annoying feeling in his chest.

What was that? Guilt? He was guilty for having the girl think it was her fault? Well it is! he tried to tell himself. He tried to say that she shouldn't have been in the room when he was 'working', that she should have left it there until he came for it, but he couldn't.

Mrs. Lovett was right, he was being rash, stupid even. How could he assume something so terrible? Mrs. Lovett was still staring at him and once again there was another short awkward silence.

Kagome squirmed in the baker's arms. "'m sleepy..." she muttered as she nuzzled her face against her chest. Mrs. Lovett glanced down at the young girl in her arms and let a small smile appear on her face.

The baker turned and headed for the door without a word when she caught it. "I'm sorry." his low voice said so quietly she could have imagined it. But she knew she didn't and froze for a moment.

She hoped to hear more, but after a few minuets, she sighed very quietly and closed the door behind her.

* * *

**A/N: Ok, I know I was on Toby getting in trouble, but then I thought how much he loved Lovett and how he thought of her as his mum, I just had to give him a break. Besides, we all get a little jealous now and then, right? So, I'll try this Youtube thing and ask a question and hope for a review. If you do, I'll give you a shout out! Why? Again, I need to get a life. X3**


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Toby walked into the kitchen, hoping to make breakfast for everyone, but angry and surprised to see Kagome already fixing some bacon.

"Oh, hi, Toby!" she says cheerfully, shooting him an innocent smile. Toby represses a growl and walks up to her. She is standing on a high stool chair as she cooks eggs and bacon over the stove.

"That s'not safe..." he says as he tries to pluck her off the high chair. But she refuses to move. "Oh, its fine, I can manage. Why don't you go back to bed and let me cook breakfast. I'll come wake when its done" another innocent smile and Toby feel anger boiling within him.

_And let you get the credit, fat chance!_Toby then looks for something that Kagome hasn't done yet. "Don't worry..." she says happily as she notices him looking around.

"I've got everything ready!" the boy ignores her and looks to be sure. The table is set and Kagome has apparently prepared flapjacks, eggs, sausage, and other breakfast goods. Toby growls to himself.

"Actually..." the girl says quietly. Toby almost instantly whips his head to face her. "Its all done!" she says proudly and Toby bites his tongue to not shout out in anger.

Kagome notices this and giggles. "Don't tell me your..._jealous_!" another giggle. Toby went red. "I-I am not" he shouted angrily. Kagome looked slightly taken aback, but ignored it as she went to setting the food onto plates and then onto a couple of trays.

Toby watches her curiously, wondering what she thinks shes doing. As if hearing his thoughts aloud, Kagome smiles she as continues to set things on the trays.

"I'm taking their breakfast to them. I know how hard they work, so I thought a day in bed would do them some good." says the girl as she walks by. Toby grabs her arm, nearly causing her to fall. "You know they won't eat it. Not only do they not trust you to cook the food on your own, but I'm sure they feel it best to work instead of just lazying around." he said firmly.

Kagome looked at him in surprise. "I thought you loved her. Don't you think shes tired from everything?" Toby stares at her, about to yell out in anger when she continues to talk.

"I'm sure shes so tired, but..." there was a short pause. Kagome faces him with a blank expression. "She just doesn't want to worry you so she works until she feels like shes about to collapse."

There was a long silence that Toby spent trying with all his might to not scream. Here he was, here long before this little smart mouth _mouse_, and yet she has the nerve to say that its his fault Mrs. Lovett probably collapses before she can even make it to her room!

He was about to lunge at her, but she turned and left him standing there, mouth in a shocked 'O' shape. Kagome made her way to Mrs. Lovett's bedroom, Toby still frozen to his spot.

* * *

Mrs. Lovett was awoken when she felt a heavy weight pressed on her stomach. She shot up, Kagome instantly pulling the tray from over her. The baker whipper her head to see the young and smiled warmly.

"I'm sorry if i woke you..." she apologized silently. Mrs. Lovett shook her head. "No, its alright I just didn't expect to see ya up before me is all, love" she yawned. Kagome smiled as she then sat the tray on the baker's lap.

Mrs. Lovett looked at the tray surprise and looked at Kagome with a smile. "Oh, Love. Ya didn't 'ave to make me breakfast..." she patted her head gently. "I know, bit I thought about how hard you work, so made you you're favorites." The girl as with a giggle.

The baker looks at the food on the tray and notices it was indeed filled with all her favorites. Scrambled eggs, chewy looking bacon, biscuits and gravy, and a sliced orange along with a all glass of fresh squeezed orange juice.

gasped at he food and looks at Kagome in confusion. "I hope it doesn't bother you, but I watch what you make for yourself and thought I'd give cooking a try" another giggle.

Mrs. Lovett smiles and picks up the fork and goes for the eggs. Kagome watches her intensely as she chews, eager for her comments. Mrs. Lovett eyed the girl as she chewed her food and then her eyes fluttered shut as the enticing flavor shot through her taste buds.

Kagome bit her lip, taking the baker's closed eyes as a bad sign. She was quickly proved wrong when a dreamy smile crossed the baker's lips. The girl smiled proudly to herself as the baker looked at her in surprise.

"I 'ad no idea ya could cook, love!" Mrs. Lovett said aloud. Kagome giggled, "Oh, thank you mam! Now if you excuse..." she took another tray in her hands, one that she had seemed to have sat on the nightstand beside Mrs Lovett's bed.

"I have to go take Mr. Todd his breakfast" said Kagome cheerfully. She turned to face the now worried looking baker and frowned slightly. "What's wrong?" she asked innocently.

"Are ya sure, love? I mean, I can take Mr. T breakfast-", "Oh, its perfectly alright, Mrs. Lovett! Besides..." she made her way to the door. "I think it would be better if we started to get long due to..." Kagome was about to mention last night and say how it was her fault, but she remembered that the baker had told her not to think of all things her fault.

"Last night. Just whistle if you need anything" and with that, she closed the door behind her, leaving Mrs. Lovett to eat her breakfast in worry.

* * *

_I'm sure Mr. t holds me no ill will, _Kagome thought as she skipped up the steps, careful not to spill anything. She hoped Bringing Mr. Todd his favorites would be proof enough she holds no grudge against him.

She opened the door slightly. "Mr. Todd...?" asked the girl, hiding behind the door. Kagome could see he was staring out the window. There was a short silence before Sweeney replied, "Come in".

Kagome smiled and slowly walked in. She held out the tray behind his back. "I brought you breakfast, sir" she said sweetly. "You know I don't eat." said the barber matter-of-factly.

She bit her lip. "Well, I thought maybe...you'd want to try some. I thought maybe this would be more to your liking than the others..." said the raven haired girl silently. Silence. She sighed and turned to the door.

"...Leave it on the dresser" Sweeney's low voice reached her ears in time. She smiled but said nothing. Kagome did so and turned to leave. "Oh, and Mr. Todd.." she said as she rested her hand on the door knob.

A short pause. "What?" he grunted. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble with Mrs. Lovett." and with that, Sweeney heard the door shut and she was gone, along with the barber's stone hard expression.

Sweeney stood there staring at the door with his eyes as wide as saucers and his mouth slaked as if the girl was still there and had grown another head. He couldn't believe what she had said.

_Shes just crazy_, he thought to himself with a growl. At that moment, he felt a weird feeling rise in him. It was a while before he registered that this new feeling was guilt. He was guilty? Maybe he did regret what he done, but only slightly.

He ignored his emotions and looked at what the girl had brought him. Two slices of toast with red strawberry jam (hmm...red), scrambled eggs with ketchup (oh, more red!), very chewy looking bacon, and a tall glass of tomato juice (and a tall glass of red liquid, genius!)

Sweeney took the fork in hand and slowly punched the eggs, very slowly bringing it to his mouth. To his surprise, he was utterly surprised. The barber wasn't choking, wasn't gagging, wasn't wanting to spit the food out, or even wishing he hadn't ate it.

When Kagome came up to retrieve the barber's plate, she was surprised when he had actually cleaned his plate! The girl smiled but said nothing and went back down.

* * *

"Ready to go, loves?" Mrs. Lovett called from the kitchen. She and the two children were getting ready to go to the market for some supplies. Kagome had insisted on going herself, but the baker thought it best for all of them to go.

"Almost!" Toby called from the parlor. Kagome walked in with a baby blue bonnet on. "Oh, love, that looks just lovely on ya!" said the baker with a gasp.

Kagome pulled the bonnet off. "oh, I'm sorry! It's just, I found it lost in your closet and thought that it did seem too small for you and-", "Now, dear, o' course ya can wear it! I had that thing since I was but a babe!" Mrs. Lovett said gently as she patted the girl's back.

The girl smiled and hugged her. "Is Mr. T coming?" she asked, looking up at the baker with large chocolate brown eyes. The baker sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry, love, but ya know 'im, always brooding way up there..." another sigh. Kagome frowned, she was really looking forward to spending some time with the barber.

"OK, ready!" Toby shouted as he rushed into the room, looking more cleaned up. "OK, dears, we all ready to go?' Toby nodded and the baker looked at the girl, who as looking worriedly up at the ceiling, a quiet sigh escaping her lips.

Mrs. Lovett looked at her with concern for a moment before putting on a smile and walking over to the girl and putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sure 'es just fine, dear. "e always does like bein' by 'imself, 'e does" the baker said gently in her ear. Kagome looked up at her with a weak smile and followed her out. Once they were in the market, it was half an hour before they noticed Sweeney was trailing behind.

"Mr. T!" Mrs. Lovett gasped when she turned from a fruit stand to see him standing behind her. "Ya tryin' ta give me a bloody 'eart attack?" the baker shouted at the barber, trying to slow her racing heart.

he just stared at her for a moment. "I thought you wanted me to go with you guys" grunted Sweeney, maintaining his stone expression.

"Sweeney!" a high pitched voice shouted behind him. Sweeney turned and was tackled by Kagome, who hugged him tightly. At first, Both Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett were surprised, but soon the barber found himself slowly hugging her back gently.

Kagome pulled back and looked at him with a bright smile. Then, as if realizing something, she pulled away completely and looked at the ground. "I-I sorry, M-Mr. Todd.." the raven haired girl stuttered, fiddling with her long dark pony tails.

"Its quite alright, you can call me that, if you want..." before Sweeney could take back his gentle words, Mrs. Lovett and Toby, who had come up behind him without his notice, looked at him as if his brain had jumped from his head and started doing the jig.

Kagome smile up at him. She then turned to Mrs. Lovett. "So, mam, where were those potatoes you needed to get?" she asked innocently. The baker patted her head. "Oh, that's alright, love..." the baker said gently.

"ya done enough for me, why don't you go get yourself some toffees..." Mrs. Lovett handed her a a small silk pouch with a few a coins inside. Kagome's face lit up, "Oh, mam, I couldn't!" she exclaimed with a gasp.

Mrs. Lovett giggled. "Now, Now, love. You've done so much for me. Ya deserve something for ya self." The baker turned to Toby. "Toby, you go wit 'er and make sure she don't get in no trouble-", "No, its alright. I'm sure I can manage on my own. Toby should spend some time with you guys" Kagome insisted.

Mrs. Lovett looked at her worriedly. "Now dear, you're way too young to go off on ya own." the baker argued. Kagome shook her head.

"No mam, really, I'll be fine" she gave her a small smile and the baker flashed her a weak smile back. "OK, love. But ya make sure you come back 'ere in five minuets. Shouldn't take ya no longer" Kagome nodded and went off.

Mrs. Lovett sighed and watched the little girl run off. She jumped when she felt a large warm hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, shes a good girl. She'll be alright" Sweeney's voice assured her. For a moment, the baker had forgotten he was there.

She smiled up at him and placed her hand over his, surprised he didn't pull away. The rest of the time they looked through the market, the barber and the baker walked hand in hand, both not really noticing or caring.

* * *

Kagome pressed her face to the glass slightly as she looked at all the fancy and colorful looking candy. She was at a sweets shop she came across on her way to get some toffees, but these candies looked so much more better.

"Hey, what are you doing 'ere, girly?" a ruff voice sounded behind her, causing Kagome to jump. She turned to face a boy who was a least a foot taller than she and sounded a lot older with long dark brown hair and green eyes.

Kagome took a step to the left. "I was just looking at the candy in the shop" the girl replied, trying to sound casual. The boy smirked. He wore fairly good looking clothes and had short cut dark brown hair.

"Don't you think you should be with your mummy?"he mocked. She surpressed a growl. "My mummy lets me go where I want." the boy's smirked widened.

"So, you got any money?" he asked, taking a step toward her. She took a step back, "What if I do?" she countered, trying to hide the fear in her voice. The boy chuckled, a few other Young looking boys coming up behind.

A boy with short blond curls held out his hand to her. "Just give us the money and we won't hurt you. We really don't want any trouble, really." said the boy softly, almost mockingly.

She growled and shouted, "You'll have to catch me first!" and she shot off. The first boy with the brown hair gave a low growl before shooting off, the other boys quickly following. Kagme turned another corner, hearing the boys' footsteps not far behind.

She meant to run to Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney, but somehow had gotten lost in the crowd and didn't know where she was, let alone know where she was going.

"Hey, girl! Stop, now!" the boy's rough voice called not very far behind her. Kagome gave a quiet sob and clutched the silky red pouch, more than anything wanting to keep the money that Mrs. Lovett had trusted her with.

More loud and angry voices were heard, bringing back too painful memories. Kagome felt her mind going blank as she was pulled into a flashback, tripping and falling onto the hard cobblestone road. She quickly crawled over to hide in a trash bin in a dark alley, where her mind fell blank and she was back in an all too horrible memory...

* * *

**A/N: No! Poor Kagome! For those of you who seem to like her, Sorry, but it had to be done. All for the better story, I promise you! Also, I was trying to make a point: Its not nice to bully. It gives you a bad name and it makes you a douchebag. And no one likes douchebags, they smell. Another question:**

**Have you ever been bullied? and If you have, What did you do about it?**

**Reviews are love!**


	5. Chapter 5

_"You good for nothing little rat!" the man screamed. Kagoshima flinched as another glass vase was smashed on the polished wood floor. "I-I-I'm sorry...!" she tried to apologize, but it was in vain._

_The tall man's dirty blond hair swooshed with his movements as he jerked his head to face her, a firing rage flickering in hid emerald eyes. She gulped and brought her knees to her chest, if possible, closer. She tries to shrink into the smallest ball ever as her father grabs a wooden black walking stick and makes his way toward her._

_She throws her arms over her head to protect herself, but her wrists are grabbed in a vice-like grip and she is thrown to the ground. She vocalizes her pain as she is beaten mercilessly, ear splitting shrikes make her throat raw at the feel of rough fists hard against her body._

_"You ungrateful little Brat! How dare you try to steal from me!" another hard smack on her forearm. "I-I'm sorry! i was j-just s-so hungry!" the raven haired girl screamed as she was beaten senseless. After her arm felt most certainly broken, Kagome tried her best to protect her head as she was hit there multiple times._

_"I don't give two shits if you died from starvation or by me ,you stupid good for nothing piece of trash!" another hard hit. Kagome felt the warm sensation of blood trickle down the side of her face._

_Her father screamed in anger as he kicked he in the stomach another time before he rushed off to the local bar, leaving his five year old daughter alone, with no one to help her._

_Kagome immediately burst into tears as she heard the door shut. She buried her head in the dark green, dirty and tattered dress she had worn for weeks on end. Since her father refused to buy her a new one, saying if he had did it would be the same as putting bows on spiders, The only new kinds of dresses she could get was if someone gave her one, which was very seldom, or by finding one out of the trash bins._

_Kagome then felt a firm strong hand grip her aching forearm and she tried wriggle away in vain..._

* * *

Mrs. Lovett grabbed the girl's arm tightly, trying to pull the girl out of the trash bin she was wedged so tightly in. The baker noticed the girl missing for longing than what she should have been and she and Sweeney set out to find her. Where was Toby, she didn't know.

One moment he was behind them both, the next, he was running for the shop. _That boy is gonna one 'ell of a lashin' when we get 'ome!, _the baker thought to herself.

Mrs. Lovett looked at Kagome in a panic as she cried harder and attempted to yank her arm out of her grasp. "Kagome!" she shouted, trying to get the girl to open her eyes and calm down, but this just caused the opposite effect...

_"KAGOME!" the deep and malicious voice roared. The girl refused to look up, fearing to see the painful hate filled glare of her father. "I-I-I'm sorry!" she shouted through her tears. But the figure just tugged and pulled at her all the more..._

"Mrs. Lovett, you find that blasted girl yet!" Sweeney yelled as he approached the baker, hunched over a trash bin. "S-She won't g-get up! S-Shes cryin' an' she w-won't look at m-me...!" Mrs. Lovett was now sobbing and crying, panicking of what was wrong with the girl.

The barber ignored her and walked over to the bin and was slightly taken aback by the girl's tears. Her eyes were shut and a deep red from crying.

The raven haired girl desperately tried to jerk her arm out of Mrs. Lovett's grasp. He must have been fed up with her stubbornness, for he growled lowly and started pulling very hard at her arm, of course, this makes things so much more worse.

_Kagome feel her arm is being yanked off as if she were just a rotting corpse that had a golden bracelet that won't come off. "KAGOME!" the voice hollered in her ear once again, as she prays that the man would just kill her._

_She doesn't care anymore, Kagome lets her tears fall without her even trying. Kagome fears shes going to be hit again and bites her lip hard until she tastes the metallic sensation of blood..._

"Mr. T, Stop!" Mrs Lovett cries out as she watched Sweeney tug and pull at Kagome's arm so fiercely her forearm is visibly raw red as cuts begin to slash against her pale skin as it collided with the sharp edge of the trash bin.

Kagome suddenly feels the cold hard feeling of the stone ground and is suddenly looking at Mrs. Lovett sideways. The baker was staring at her with tears running down her face. Kagome just stared ahead, still trying to convince herself shes not in her terrible nightmarish flashback.

Sweeney had become frustrated with the girl's stubborn attempt to stay wedged in the trash bin. So, he merrily slashed the can down the side. It was merrily tin anyway and with the lazy filth working in London, he wasn't surprised at how easily it was slashed open.

Mrs. Lovett rushed to the girl's side and squeezed her tightly, still crying uncontrollably. Kagome remained frozen as she was hugged tighter by the second.

Sweeney just watched as the baker clutched the young girl to her as she cried. He was slightly surprised to see Kagome with such a cold, almost expressionless look on her face. He would've asked what was wrong if it weren't for Mrs. Lovett being there. If he showed any sign he cared, the baker wouldn't let him live it down.

After a while, Kagome blinked a few times before pulling out of the baker's grasp and looking at her with a weak smile. "Oh, love, are ya alrigh'?" the baker asked nervously.

The raven haired girl just stared at her with a blank expression. "Wot are ya doin' in such a dreadful place as this 'ere alley?" Mrs. Lovett asked, looking very worried. Kagome's eyes widened as she remember what she was doing in there in the first place.

She reached in a pocket she didn't know she had in her dress and pulled out the silky dark red pouch the baker had given her earlier that day and sighed with relief.

"Some boys were chasing me, trying to get this," the girl carefully looked inside to make sure they hadn't taken the money when she was in her horrible flashback. She sighed with all the contents in it and handed Mrs. Lovett the pouch.

"Oh, dear! They didn't hurt you, did they?" Mrs. Lovett asked nervously. Kagome continued to smile at the baker and shook her head. The girl jumped slightly when she felt a large cold hand rest on her shoulder.

She turned her head slightly to see Sweeney looking at her almost concernedly. "What were you crying about?" the barber asked carefully. Kagome stiffened under both the adults' touch.

Of all the things for him to say, she thought to herself. Mrs. Lovett watched as Kagome shut her eyes slightly tightly and took a short breath. The baker stroked her hair and whispered, "Ya don' 'ave ta tell us if ya don' wanna, love." Kagome smiled and nuzzled her head against the woman's chest.

Mrs. Lovett stood up, holding the girl securely in her arms. The baker walked calmly out of the alley, Sweeney trailing closely behind.

* * *

**A/N: Ooh... poor Kagome. :( Oh, well, It doesn't matter! Shes with Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney now...Not that sweeneys gonna be any help, but hes there any how! He and Lovett will protect her, so it doesn't matter. It was just an empty threat anyway...right?**

**Question: Whats the worst memory of your childhood you can remember... O_O...Ok, thats a little depressing, so, lets change it!**

**(New) Question: How do you hand;e panic? Good? Bad? in between? Never put in that situation before? SAY IT ANYWAY!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Wot luck! Kagome 'ad gotten 'erself lost!" Toby hiccuped as he took another swig of his bottle of gin. After Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett had turned their backs, he made his way back to the shop, not being able to contain his excitement.

It wasn't that he hated her, he was just tired of the girl trying to replace him! Toby looked at the gin bottle and grinned. "Bet the mouse couldn't even down this," he slurred.

The boy laughed at his own joke but his fun was quickly gone when he heard the front door open. He immediately dropped himself on the couch he was lounging on not two minuets prior, the bottle hanging loosely from his hand.

Toby thought that he could easily fool Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett if he pretend to fall into one of his drunk slumbers. God knows he does it often enough.

The boy heard large thump-like footsteps make their way up the steps. "Mr. T," he heard Mrs. Lovett's voice speak loudly. "Where are ya goin'?" the baker asked, irritated he would leave after the unexpected incident.

"She won't talk and shes fine, why should I stay?" the barber replies with no emotion as he continues to walk up the stairs. Mrs. Lovett sighs as she makes her way to the parlor, Kagome still in her arms.

Toby holds his breath as he feels the baker sit beside her. "Poor lads gone an' drank 'imself into another slumber, 'e has," she grumbles quietly, rubbing his head.

"You shouldn't wake him," Kagome speaks up finally. "He looks peaceful." Mrs. Lovett smiles at the girl. There was a tense silence before Lovett asks, "Wot was wrong with ya in that ol' alley?".

She feels her tense up at her question and feels a small pang of guilt. "S'alrigh', love. Ya don' 'ave to tell me if ya don' wanna," Mrs. Lovett says gently, petting her head.

Kagome shakes her head, "No, it's alright. When the boys were chasing me, the screaming just brought..." she takes a breath. "bad memories. Nothing special.", "Now, love, what 'ave told ya 'bout 'ow special ya are to me? Come on, you can tell me," the baker urges.

Toby fights a low growl in his throat when the baker says how _important _the girl is to her. _I matter more_, he thought to himself.

There was a long silence before Kagome takes a breath. "My...father," she finally says hoarsely. Mrs. Lovett freezes. She hadn't even thought about the girl's life before coming to her shop.

"Wot about yer father? Didn't treat ya bad, I 'ope," she says quietly. Another short silence before Mrs. Lovett feels immensely guilty. "Oh, dear, 'm so sorry, I 'ad no-", "No, its alright. You wanna see my scars?" Kagome asks casually.

Stunned at the offer, Mrs. Lovett blindly nods and watches as the girl turns around in her lap and pulls the back of her dress up to her neck. The baker gasps and horror and covers her mouth with her hand.

Toby gasps silently at the scars. There were five large, swollen scars running the back of her shoulders to her lower back. Also, there were many more, small and large, bruises and other scars that filled in all the space on the girl's back that no skin that was the girl's actual color was seen.

Even through all his life, Toby had never seen such abuse. There was a short silence that was spent where Toby and Lovett stared in pure shock and horror at Kagome's scars before she said casually. "You can touch them. They don't hurt anymore."

Without even really thinking, Mrs. Lovett slowly and carefully ran her fingers down the five large scars. They were rough and still had some crusted dried blood on them.

Kagome didn't move while the baker felt her scars, they were inflicted a long time ago and were healed. She was thankful the healed at all. "Y...Yer father did this?" Mrs. Lovett gasps silently.

Kagome smiled softly, blinking away tears, nodding her head. The girl then pulled her dress back down and turned to face the baker, tears slipping down her face.

"What's wrong?" Kagome gasped slightly. "I...I just can't believe," Mrs. Lovett cupped the girl's face and held her in her arms gently. "Wot 'appened to yer father?" she asked.

"I...I ran away," Kagome replied quietly. She heard the baker sigh in relief. "That's good. No child should ever 'ave to be 'urt like this," Mrs. Lovett slowly traced the scars on Kagome's back through her dress.

"That only thing is..." Kagome started. Mrs. Lovett suddenly tensed, sensing something bad was going to be said.

Kagome began to tremble as she spoke, "He said he was going to find me...one way...or..another..."

* * *

Mrs. Lovett let a gasp escape her lips as she pulled back to look into Kagome's teary eyes. The way her face twisted into a somewhat pleading look. The baker began to feel tears of her own slip down her cheeks. "What's wrong?" the young girl's voice spoke above a whisper.

Mrs. Lovett just shook her head and rocked Kagome gently into her arms and chest. "Don' worry, deary," the baker said softly. "I promise, no ones goin' 'urt ya, love. I'll protect ya," she held the girl tighter. Kagome snuggled into the woman's embrace, tears tugging at the corners of her eyes.

The baker smiled gently as she spoke, "I'll die 'fore I let anyone lay a 'and on ya." Kagome closed her eyes and fell into a clam and blissful sleep, tears slipping down her cheeks as she did so.

Mrs. Lovett stroked the girl's long black ponytails as she closed her own eyes and fell asleep. Toby felt tears running down his cheeks as he watched the baker sleep, knowing it wasn't him she was holding.

* * *

Sweeney watched as the baker closed her eyes, no doubt falling into a most likely blissful sleep. The barber had watched the whole 'touching' scene play out before him.

Sweeney was just as shocked as Mrs. Lovett when Kagome exposed her scars and about her escape from her abusive father.

The barber had seen those kind of scars on the girl's back before from the prison in Australia. They were always the ones that were just given to prisoners by a whip or knife.

He silently walked back up the stairs to his shop. Sweeney told his self repeatedly that he didn't care about the girl, that he was just curious that she had been alright.

The image of Kagome crying hard in a trash can appeared suddenly in his mind, causing a small pang of sorrow. "No!" Sweeney told himself as he stomped up the wooden stairs.

"You don't care about her, it was just the thought of seeing her so different that's effecting you." he told his self as he threw the door open.

Sweeney tried to get some sleep on his cot, but found pictures of Kagome getting hurt a few boys he saw run around the corner sudden;y came into His mind, depriving him of sleep.

* * *

The next day was tense for everyone: Sweeney avoided Kagome very carefully, Mrs. Lovett couldn't look at her without visibly trying to fight tears, Toby tried not to 'accidentally' slap her, and Kagome herself acted like nothing happened at all!

It wasn't until a few hours close to closing time, that Mrs. Lovett noticed a tough, trouble making looking man standing outside the shop for god knew how long.

The baker did nothing, but kept a close eye on him. The man's eyes seemed to follow Kagome constantly, causing Mrs. Lovett to begin bubbling with irritation and anger.

Kagome seemed to have no idea the man was even there, working and smiling as if everything was absolutely perfect. Though the baker knew when eyes from someone, especially a man, followed you for more than half an hour was certainly bad.

But the baker had total confidence in herself, knowing perfectly well she would keep her promise to the girl, keeping her perfectly safe.

"Hey, Mrs. Lovett," the young girl's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Yes, deary?" she spoke, pulling a few batch of pies from the oven.

"Can I please go to the market? I need to pick up some kitty food." Kagome replied from behind her. Mrs. Lovett looked at her confusedly. "Why would you need kitty food, love?" asked the baker, walking past her.

Kagome just stayed where she stood and looked at her feet. "Well, I found a kitty outside yesterday. I heard what you say about Mrs. Mooney, and I really don't want her to end up in a pie." she explained shyly.

Mrs. Lovett looked at her a moment. "Were do you intend to keep the thing?" the baker asked. "Well, I was thinking maybe in the bakehouse-", "No!" Mrs. Lovett all but screamed.

Kagome looked frightened and Mrs. Lovett tried to compos herself. "I-I mean, You can keep 'er. It would just be more comfy fer it to sleep in the parlor." the baker said quickly, trying to sound calm.

Mrs. Lovett had never seen a child's eyes light up so much. "Oh thank you, mam!" exclaimed the girl, throwing her arms around the woman's waist.

The baker smiled and held her tightly. When she pulled away, Mrs. Lovett reached into a pocket in her skirts when she froze.

She couldn't possibly let her go alone, not after last time, especially with that man out there.

The baker took a quick look and sure enough, the man was still there, standing and staring. Mrs. Lovett must have had a panicked look on her face because when she turned to look at Kagome, the girl looked slightly startled.

"What's wrong?" she asked nervously. The baker just shook her head, not wanting to upset her. "Nothin' love, just thinkin' maybe we could go tomorrow when we can all go."

Kagome looked at her intensely. "Mam, I know you're worried about me, which would be the first for anyone, and I'm more than eternally grateful, but I can take care of myself." she assured the woman with a proud smile and a puff of the chest.

"Oh? And what was the other day?" the baker asked smartly. Kagome looked at her feet in shame. Mrs. Lovett felt her face softened with guilt, "Oh, love, I'm-", "No, you're right." she interrupted, walking past her.

She picked up a pitcher and filled some man's glass with ale, smiling warmly. Mrs. Lovett bit her lip, thinking twice about what she was doing.

The baker placed a soft hand on the girl's shoulder. Kagome slowly turned to face her, tears shining in her eyes. Mrs. Lovett felt another pang of guilt.

She slipped the silky red coin pouch into the girl's small hands. She looked at the pouch then the baker, a smile spreading on her face.

"Make sure you be 'ome before noon," the woman said worriedly. Kagome smile widened, "Don't worry, I will. The kitty must've made 'er way into the bake house, if you want to see er." she chirped happily as she ran to the door.

Kagome looked at Mrs. Lovett with joy filled eyes. "Bye, mam, I'll be back in a little while!" and with that, she shut the door.

* * *

**A/N: Uh-oh. What is a girl to do? This obviously leads to something terrible...right? Well, whether it does or doesn't, it doesn't matter, its coming in the next chapter!**

**Question: Do you ever easedrop? _ever? _And if you do, how easily and/or often do you get caught?**


	7. Chapter 7

Toby's mouth hung open as he watched Kagome shut the door behind her. It both angered and amazed him.

It amazed him that Mrs. Lovett let her go back out there when it was only yesterday when she had nearly lost all the money that was in her coin purse and gotten killed and it frustrated him at how much the baker obivously trusted _her_ and not him.

Kagome hadn't been here a week, yet she had trusted her with her coin purse, twice! He continued to serve customers, trying not to allow his inner sorrow and frustrations display on his face. Toby was sure the girl was going to get into trouble once again, but he couldn't care less. Then, a wicked grin spread over his face.

In fact, he hoped she did.

* * *

Kagome skipped happily through the streets of London as if she didn't have a care in the world. She was completely oblivious to the man following her. The girl smiled as she spotted the shop she had seen the other day. Kagome walked in, smiling madly as she spotted he various candies and cakes. There were many candies and cakes and other sweets, all different sizes and colors. The black haired girl began walking up and down the racks of sweets.

Kagome spotted a jar of toffees. She immediately thought of Mrs. Lovett's face as she saw her bring her a jar of toffees, her favorite candy! The girl looked into the coin purse, she could buy the jar and have plenty left!

She grabbed the jar and went up to the counter. "I'd like to buy this jar, please!" says Kagome with a cute smile. The old looking man just smiled back and rang up the jar.

Kagome thought she should take the jar to the baker then come back to get something for herself.

Still, as she walked home, the girl was unaware of the man following her with intense eyes. As she began to turn the corner into Fleet street, she heard a husky voice say, "Hey, you, girl..."

She froze, thinking it was those nasty boys again. But the thought was immediately dismissed from her mind when his voice spoke again, too ragged to be a boy's.

"You wanna help your mummy?" he asked. Kagome to see the man was standing right outside a dark alley. "What?" she asked, frightened of the man.

The man chuckled and then continued. "I'm the owner of a chain of restaurants. I've been watching the baker's progress and thought to add her on." he said. Kagome could now see he had short dark brown hair, pale skin, he was rather muscular looking, yet dressed as a nice gentleman.

"Why not just ask the baker herself, then?" Kagome asked suspiciously, raising an eye brow. The man chuckled.

"Well, I can see your very fond of her, as she you, so I thought you would want to make it a...surprise for her," the man grinned. The girl put a small finger to her chin. Mrs. Lovett would most definitely enjoy becoming part of such a large corporation, but would it really be nice to hide it form her?

"What would I have to do?" she asked the man. His grin widened. "Well, first you'll have to come with me. Talk about how she runs her business, how she keeps it, and how much the customers like the service and atmosphere." he simply said, hiding what Kagome mistook for anticipation.

There was a short silence she spent glaring at the man suspiciously and him smiling wickedly back at her. "OK, but no tricks," she finally replied, taking the man's hand hesitantly and walking cautiously into the deep, dark alley.

* * *

Mrs. Lovett nervously glanced at the clock for what seemed like the millionth time in the last five minuets. It had been that amount of time since the time Kagome was supposed to be back and she wasn't getting any calmer. The baker soon found herself falling face first on the patio with the high stack of dishes she was carrying.

"Watch where ya go, ya stupid wench!" a drunken customer shouted as a few of the shattered china landed near his feet. "Oh, sorry, deary! Just lost in me mind was all" she replies, waving him off as she gets down to pick up the pieces. It's not long before Toby is there with a broom and dust pan.

When Mrs. Lovett smiles up at the boy, she spots Sweeney motioning her up. "Can you take care o' this 'ittle mess, dear?" she asks as she gets up slowly.

Toby smiles and nods. "Sure, ma'am! Anything fer you!" he shouts up at her, pride tones in his voice. The baker pushes open the door when she reaches the top of the stairs. "Wot do ya want, love?" she asks, slightly irritated that he would call on her in such a stressful time.

When there was no reply, Mrs. Lovett looks up and is surprised to see he is facing her. His face was emotionless, but the baker was not surprised by this. He never turned to face her when he called on her, the rare times he ever did.

"Wot-,", "You shouldn't be getting' yourself in a bloody stress bunch," Sweeney says darkly, trying not to sound caring. Mrs. Lovett just looked at him weirdly. "Its not healthy." he says again, closing his eyes.

The woman just sighs and looks at her feet. "I know. But she should've been back by now! 'Ow can I not worry about 'er?" she shoots a look at him. Sweeney sighs in frustration while the baker continues to glare at him. "...'Ow long 'as it been?" he asks, not looking at her.

"About ten minuets!" she shouts, as if she just received this news as well. Mrs. Lovett saw the barber slowly shake his head and walked past her out the door. The baker just stares at him.

"Well?" he says as he looks back up at her, half way down the steps. "You wanna go looking' for her, or not?" and Mrs. Lovett quickly follows, leaving Toby to serve the customers and grind his teeth in anger.

* * *

Kagome quickly takes a piece of her toffee candy and plops it into her mouth as she follows the strange man into a rather large looking warehouse. He eyes her eating the sweets. "Give me a piece," he grumbles as he sticks his hand out.

"No, this is for my family," she says, jerking the jar of the sweets to her left, away form his reach. The man growls and yanks the jar away from her. "Hey!" she shouts as she jumps up and down to get the jar back as he holds it up high over her head.

He chuckles at her weak attempts to steal the jar away from him. He takes off the lid and throws it aside as he reaches in. "That's mine!" Kagome shouts as she kicks the guy in the shin.

He yelps out with pain and drops the jar. Kagome jumps back as it shatters against the cobblestone road. SH stares at the pieces before charging at the man. She jumps on his back while he doubles over in pain and sinks her teeth into his skull.

"That was my mum's money you just wasted, you stupid git!" she screams as her mouth fills with his black curly hair, but she continues to bit into his head. He screams for help and it isn't long that Kagome is knocked out and sees nothing but darkness.

* * *

Sweeney sighs as he opens yet another trash bin to find it empty. They have been searching for hours and no sign of the girl. He would never admit it, but he was just as nervous as Mrs. Lovett about finding her. He saw the man standing outside the shop, and he also noticed how his eyes caught Kagome's every move.

He turns around to face her, instead seeing her a ways down the road as she asked random men on the streets if they'd caught of the girl. By the look on her face, no luck. Sweeney sighs again and walks over to her.

Mrs. Lovett is biting her fingers nervously as her eyes dart around the ground. Mrs. Lovett was obviously thinking of what mightn't happened to the girl. The barber puts a heavy hand on her shoulder, causing Mrs. Lovett to jump slightly at his touch.

She turns to face him, worry and nervousness etched in her features. "Come on," Sweeney says in a deep voice, looking at the baker with worry himself.

"We can look tomorrow, now we need our rest." he reasoned, but the baker just shook her head. Mrs. Lovett left him and walked down the street and walked inside a small shop.

Sweeney shook his head and sighed with frustration as he followed her. When he entered the small building, he immediately recognized it as a sweets shop, seeing all the colorful cakes and candies.

The barber looked over at the counter where the baker was talking to a the old shop keep. He saw the man nod and point out the door and said a few more words he couldn't really understand.

Mrs. Lovett's face lit up and she nodded and muttered a quick, 'thank you' before rushing out the door. Sweeney quickly followed her.

"Where are you going, you silly woman?" he asked hastily as she ran around a corner, into a narrow alley. "That ol' shop keep said 'e saw Kagome today. Says she went 'round 'ere!" Mrs. Lovett replied breathlessly, not looking at him as she ran.

Then, The baker stopped so abruptly, Sweeney ran right into her backside. She stood there silently as the barber pulled himself off the ground.

"What the bloody 'ell, woman!" he shouted angrily. She showed No sign of hearing him as she slowly knelt to the ground.

"What are you looking at?" Sweeney asked impatiently. There was a short silence. "This..." Mrs. Lovett spoke just above a whisper as she held up the red silky coin pouch. "I...I gave this to Kagome ...before she left."

Sweeney suddenly turned paler than before, if that was possible. He looked down at the shattered glass, pieces of toffee candy mixing with it.

As Mrs. Lovett was about to say something, a blood curdling scream pierced the air.

* * *

**A/N: Oh no! Not Kagome! Poor thing...Hey, don't flame me! A story isn't a story unless you've got tragedy (I picked that up from Sharon Draper. Great Author, check her stuff out) Anyway, OH NO! Another moral: Never go with someone you don't know, even if they promise spendors, isn't that right Sweeney? lol OK, done. Sorry Sweeney, shouldn't have been so mean. W-Wait! What are y- GET THAT SHARP THING AWAY FROM ME!**

**Its not like it matters, though, Kagome's kidnapping, I mean. Lovett and Sweeney are going to save her...right? This story** _does _have a Sweenett 'happily ever after'...right? RIGHT?

**For the Kagome lovers, Sorry. For the haters, You are so mean.**

**Question: Do you wish a horrible, terrible and uncertain demise on your enemy? Some people say things like this *Stares pointedly at Toby* but never mean it. Do you? Do you _really? REALLY?_REALLY?**

**Anyway, sorry for the questions if they're getting annoying. The whole time I write I listen to Youtube stars like the Annoying Orange, Shane Dawson (hes my fave!), Epic meal time, Epiv rapbattles of history, and anime music and shows. SO you can't blame me for wanting to try the comment responses with reviews.**


	8. Chapter 8

_'Where am I?' _was her first thought. Kagome slowly lifted her head, which felt like it weighed tons more then it really was, and faced an all too bright light. She went to cover her eyes, but found her hands were bound together by chains that led to a wall that she laid her back against.

She looked down and found she was sitting on a dirty and wet stone hard floor. Kagome continued to take in her surroundings, which weren't much. An old wooden chair in the far corner, a boarded up window to the right side, and a large dark staircase in front of her.

The girl pulled at her chains, her wrists chafing, when she heard the sound of wood hitting stone. Her head shot up to find the door had been swung open and that someone was on their way down.

Kagome held her breathe as the shadowy figure stopped in front of her, the lack of light not making it so she could see his face.

"That was very bad you, Kagome," a deep voice spoke rather quietly. Her eyes widened with fear as she found the sense to recognize the voice. The man pulled a lit lantern from behind his back and held up to his face and Kagome let out a sob and gasp at the same time.

"running away form daddy like that." he said with a chuckle.

* * *

"Are you sure he said down this way?" Sweeney asked, following the baker as she ran down the dark alley. "'m sure of it!" Mrs. Lovett replied breathlessly as she continued to ran as fast as she could.

Their panting became louder and more heavy as they went, the alley never seeming to end. Then, far off into the distance, Mrs. Lovett saw a dark looking warehouse. The baker gasped and went full speed.

"Wait up, you damned woman!" the barber shouted. When he caught up with her, the baker immediately tried to open the door to find it locked. "She must be in 'ere,"she said above a whisper. She turned to him, "or why else would it be locked?"she asked, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Maybe because its private property." he pointed to the sigh that said just that.

But Mrs. Lovett just shook her head. "No! I know shes in there!" and that, the baker began to mercilessly beat on the large wooden door, screaming to let them both in.  
"Away with the two of ya, this is private property, ya know!" a rough voice boomed.

"No! We ain't goin' away til ya let us in!" Mrs. Lovett screamed, her pounding fists more persistent.

Sweeney almost shook his head at he baker's behavior, as if she was no better than a mere child, when the doors opened slightly. Now 'ow many times am I gonna 'ave to tell ya stupid people to le-" the man was cut off when Mrs. Lovett Lovett swung the door open and whacked the man hard the face.

The barber's mouth dropped the same time he did. The rather large man fell back with a loud thud.

Mrs. Lovett payed him no mind as she ran over him, desperate to find the girl. It took Sweeney a moment to comprehend that the baker had actually knocked someone out before He quickly followed her.

Jerking her head in all directions, Mrs. Lovett heard screaming coming form below. While She looked for a door to a kind of basement, Sweeney took a good look around. It was almost what he thought the workhouse Toby was from would be like. It was big, but most of the space was filled with all kinds of large machines.

Little articles of all kinds of clothing laid around everything, bugs and rats crawling everywhere, dust over everything, and blood splatters on a little of everything.

Just the imaging of children living here made the demon barber shiver. He killed numerous men everyday, but the thought of a child in a hell hole like this? It was pure horror.

Sweeney's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of a door hitting a wall. He jerked his head to the sound and found Mrs. Lovett had found a small looking door and swung it wide open, hurrying down the rickety sounding steps.

He had made a run to follow her, but stopped dead in his tracks when an ear bleeding scream was heard form below.

* * *

Wrenching the door open, Mrs. Lovett hurried fast down the rickety steps. Sweeney's feet pounding on the stair case as well fell silent on the Baker's ears as her heels clicked slightly as the hit the cold, hard stone floor.

Turning her head, Mrs. Lovett only found a large, dimly lit basement. A reddish black light glowed from her left, as if a large fire was burning in a furnace in that corner of the room.

Suddenly, a large man-like shadow was shown, bending over something and clutching his arm to his chest. Wasting no time, Mrs. Lovett quickly ran over and, without thinking, punched the man right in the face.

He hit the ground with a loud thud, laying sprawled out on the cold ground for a moment. Sweeney's large, surprisingly warm hands gripped the baker's forearms, knowing she was ready to strike again.

"W...Wot the 'ell...?" the man groaned as he sat up, putting a hand to the back of his head, checking for blood. Mrs. Lovett's face was masked in pure rage as she shouted, "Where is she? Where is my 'ittle Kagome?"

The man looked at her, confused as if he had no idea what she was talking about. He slowly stood up, keeping distance away from the couple as he was finally shown in the dim light.

He was rather tall, chestnut brown hair, a little stubble on his chin, by the look of his clothing, he was part of the middle class, one up from the barber and baker. He looked a little like judge Turpin from his youthful days, when he had tried to court Lucy.

"I haven't the fainest-", "Don' you dare play games wit me!" Mrs. Lovett screamed, her rage evident in her fiery eyes. Sweeney continued to restrain her as she made a jump for the man, not really caring if he really knew or not.

Once she stopped her struggle against him, Sweeney took the chance to explain, which was really out of character for him. "Look, we're searchin' for a little girl," said the demon calmly, wrapping his arms around Mrs. Lovett's wast slowly Lovett's shoulders, knowing she would start to thrash around again.

He groaned again, as he shook his head slightly. "Young lookin', long black pigtails?" he asked drowsily. Sweeney's eyes widened and suddenly got that evil glint, like he was going in for he kill.

Mrs. Lovett stopped struggling and replied breathlessly, "Yeah, why? You seen 'er?" the desperation in her voice was almost heart breaking. He nodded and the baker almost thought her heart stopped or a moment.

"She came through 'ere, askin' for directions to Fleet street," he explained, still flinching at the pain in his head, the demon barber and Baker hanging onto his every word. "Told 'er up the road and she went off." he said.

But Mrs. Lovett convinced. "Why'd that man try to keep us out o' this place?" she asked suspiciously. The man in front of them just looked at then a moment then chuckled lightly. "Oh, Jerry? Well, hes me body guard. You see, I own this place. I work 'ere, try an' invent new things. I thought a deserted place like this would make perfect for an inventor as me self, but o' course, i made some enemies in me past. So, I hired Jerry to protect me while I work." he finished with proud smile.

He held out his hand, keeping the other to his head. "Names John Derek," John said warmly, but the demon barber and baker continued to stare him with suspicion.

Suddenly, a low groan came from deep within the corners of the room. The noise startled the two, but John just shook his head slightly with a small smile. "Damn cats. Eatin' away at them dead rats. Anyway..." he walked slowly toward the stairs.

"As I said before, I had not seen high nor low of the girl since she came by earlier today." he gestured up the stairs and to the door. "Now, if you please, I'd like to get back to my work."

Mrs. Lovett looked at Sweeney nervously, he looked like he was considering the suggestion strongly. Then, Mrs. Lovett's eyes fell onto John's hand, teeth marks glowing a red hue. It looked swollen and red, tiny teeth impressions on the back of his hand.

"Where'd ya get that?" She asked suspiciously, gesturing to his hand that he tried to hide behind his back a little to quickly. John looked at his hand like it were some alien, then he chuckled.

"Jus' a quick encounter with a 'uge rat. Poor thing didn't do much, just a small bite." he said with a grin. Before she could argue, She felt Sweeney push her up the stairs roughly, causing her to nearly falling over her own feet.

The demon barber said a quick 'thank you, kind sir' before shutting the door to the warehouse behind him. "Wot'd ya do that fer?" The baker yelled as she jerked her arm out of his grip.

"He obviously knew something about 'er! Did ya see how overly kind he was actin'? Not ta mention 'e was actin' real nervous!" Mrs. Lovett continued to bark. Sweeney seemed unfazed at Mrs. Lovett's out burst, but he knew just as well as she that the man had been trying to hide something.

He stared at her with a stone hard expression until she turned to go back inside. The barber grabbed her forearm roughly, jerking her body tightly close to his.

"Don't you think I know that?" he hissed through clenched teeth. She stared up at him with a surprised face, his mood changing so suddenly.

His grip softened as he watched her eyes glaze over with nervousness. "I know he had something to hide, but if we just barge in and accuse 'im, he has more than enough right to call the law on us, " He growled.

There was a short pause. "But-", "We wait, pet," Sweeney said calmly. Mrs. Lovett looked at him hopefully then turned her head to face the haunting warehouse that loomed over them. "We wait..." He held her tighter.

* * *

When the sound of the large doors being slammed shut, John let out a dark chuckle. A large figure came staggering down the stairs, holding a hand to his face.

"You worthless bastard!" John shouted as the man reached the end of the stairs. There was another low groan coming from the corners. John grinned wickedly and walked behind the burning furnace.

Kagome's tear soaked face looked up at her captive best she could. The chains that held tight around her shoulders and legs rubbed very uncomfortably against her reddening skin as she struggled, whimpering as he knelt down in front of her.

"So ya thought you could hide from me, huh?" John whispered quietly. The cotton cloth that was wrapped around her head and kept her mouth from forming correct words had left red marks on her face from where it'd been tightened.

She shook terribly, she cried as he whispered in her ear, "Well, I assure you, it won't happen again."

At that moment, when he had pulled back to reveal an evil grin spread over his face, a wicked gleam in his eye, She wished herself dead.

* * *

**A/N: Hey, I don't like hurting Kagome more than any of you do! (and if you actually _do_like it, I guess I can't blame you, what with the lack of blood and gore the movie supplied us al with) ANother moral: Trust your instincts. If you think somethings wrong or if anything is messed up, work kwith that feeling. You just might be right...and if you're not, laugh at yourself. If you don't, who will laugh at you in a way that you don't take it offensively to? Believe me, THis is all for the better part of the story.**

**It sucks when I watch a cartoon and when they're looking for something its like _right_around the corner, but they just walk on. Oh well...**

**Ok, now to ask a question ( if you hate them, then just skip to the next chapter right now. Don't be hatin' on me Because you chose to read something you know you hate anyway!): If you were in Sweeney and Lovett's place, what would you do? Would wait? Or would you take action?**

**Reviews are love!**


	9. Chapter 9

"I got ya a nice cup o' tea, Mr. T," Mrs. Lovett said blankly, holding out the saucer with a small cup. Sweeney eyed the emotionless expression on her face. Since they'd had chosen a small cafe just a few streets away the warehouse to look out for any evidence that the man in it was hiding Kagome, the baker had said very little and showed little expression if any while keeping her eyes to the sky.

The demon barber muttered a quiet 'thank you' while keeping his eyes locked with hers. There was something unsettling about the emotionless way she looked at him.

As if he were looking at himself when he was in one of his brooding moods that most likely had something to do with the blasted judge. Without another word, Mrs. Lovett took a seat across from him, continuing her stare contest with the sky. They were seating outside the cafe, keeping an eye out for anything that could be taken as a sign for help and keeping their ears strained for any yells.

After ten minuets, Sweeney noticed Mrs. Lovett hadn't blinked since she sat down. "You really think its healthy to just stare the sky like that? Not taking a single blink?" he asked quietly, not looking at her.

There was a short pause, a sign Sweeney took as she didn't hear him, but she soon answered quietly, with no emotion whatsoever, "Anything can 'appen in the blink of an eye, Mr. T," the demon barber was slightly startled, not by the fact of her responding, but the tone of her voice. Surely it was more stone-like than his!

Before he could reply, she stated again, "I learned that the 'ard way. I can remember it so clearly..." the baker trailed off, looking up at the now graying sky.

Another short pause that was filled with unimaginable tension passed before Sweeney had the courage to ask, "R-Remember wot?", "The day you were sent away." That caused him to gasp very quietly, the tea cup he'd been holding nearly slipping form his grip.

Despite this, Mrs. Lovett continued. "I was workin' on a pile of dough, me big ol' Albert, God bless his soul, was down in the bakehouse, workin' on some meat. You an' your wife just leavin' for some errands just a little bit ago."

Sweeney stared at her, hanging onto her every word. "She was 'ysterical, cryin' her 'ittle eyes out. I tried to get 'er to tell me wot was so wrong, but she could barely form a proper word, much less a sentence. But soon I got 'er to tell me wot 'appened. Said you was attacked by the constable when yous twos were just strollin' along. Silly blond nearly dropped Johanna, I 'ad to take the babe to 'er crib."

There was a short pause that Sweeney spent thinking about the day. the day he as falsely accused for some false charge. The last time he saw Mrs. Lovett that day, she was indeed pounding away at an unfortunate pile of dough.

She was smiling so happily at him, he thought her face would crack. But then again, when he thought about that, she always looked at him like that.

His thoughts were interrupted when the baker spoke again. "You were so happy that day, finally 'avin' the family ya always wanted. We were the best o' chums," a sad chuckle escaped her lips, probably the most emotion she shown in the last few hours. "Then I learned that it only takes the blink of an eye for your whole world to crumple."

Sweeney stared at her, almost pitifully. _Is this what I look like when I'm in my moods?_The demon barber thinks to himself.

Then something about her words hits him. "What do you mean, 'we WERE the best o' chums'?" The baler stares at him and smiles sadly, "Well, you never really were all that nice ta me when ya came back." she said in a playful tone. "An' you never gave me the slightest bit o' respect. I also bet ya never really did hold me in yer highest regards, neither."

Sweeney was about to protest, he couldn't really have her acting so depressed while they're doing something serious and, to his surprise, he really didn't like seeing her in depression, it didn't really suit her. But she turned her head back to the sky.

He as about to shout, but he guessed she was right. He hadn't been treating her as good as she slightly deserved. Sure, she didn't deserve a lot from a lot of people, butchering half of London and feeding it to the other half, but she did deserve his respect, what with everything she did for him.

Sweeney then took her hands his and held them close to his chest. "Mrs. Lo...er, Nellie, I know I haven't really been treating you the way you deserve, wot wit' doin' practically everything for me and all," he began quietly.

The baker just stared at him liked he'd grown two heads. This sudden burst of, should she call it compassion, completely threw her off guard. She was about to ask he was feeling alright, that maybe the chilly weather was getting to him, but he continued.

"But I'm going to promise you that we _will _bring Kagome back safe and sound. And that we're all going home tonight." Sweeney looked into her shocked eyes, then brought her hands up to his mouth and he kissed her knuckles.

all Mrs. Lovett could do was stare at him in awe. All those grueling months he spent brooding away, not wanting to be anywhere near her or any other human being, yet here he was, promising her that everything would be alright and kissing her knuckles in assurance.

Then the barber looked up at her with compassion in his eyes, something that almost made the baker's spine shiver. "I'll protect you, _both _of you. I'll take care of you." That did it.

Before she could stop herself, Mrs. Lovett collapsed in tears in front of the barber. Sweeney took the baker in his arms and held her as she cried. Several people in the passing crowd looked at the pair weirdly before continuing their aimlessly strolls.

* * *

Kagome screamed. Her throat was burning in pain at screaming so many times for so long. But despite how much it pained her vocal cords, she continued to scream, the searing pain that continued to assault her back being far worse.

_CRACK!_

Another scream was accompanied by a series of sobs as the whip her father held in his hand stoke her back again, blood rushing down ward. The puddle of blood beneath her was large, which isn't a surprise. The whippings have been going on for exactly three hours, just how long they used to be when Kagome lived with this monster.

"PLEASE!" she managed to yell through the cotton gag that was shoved deeply into her throat. "P-Please let m-me go!" Kagome continued to wail. The dark laughter that she heard sent shivers up her spine.

Heavily footsteps made their way toward the helpless girl. John had his accomplice, Jerry, chain Kagome to the stone wall of the warehouse basement in a X position.

John twisted the girl's long black locks in his hand and painfully forced her to turn her head almost all the way around to face him. Kagome was sure her neck would snap sooner or later, but this didn't bother her. "And why, pray tell, would I do that? You ran away from me, Kagome, you deserve to be punished. So tell me, why should I let you go?" his voice as both threatening and filled with menace.

Kagome then decided to keep her mouth shut, not wanting to upset him further, but this angered him instead. So much so he slapped her hard across, the face, and she was sure her neck snapped and that she was already in hell.

"I asked you a question and I expect a damn answer!" he yelled in her face. But the girl's body only shook as she sobbed uncontrollably.

John punched her hard in her lower back. "ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!" he screamed in her ear. "I-I thought I c-could escape f-for at least a l-little w-while," she shook nervously as she stuttered. The man monstrous man just laughed at her and smacked her upside the head while screaming, "You little fool! If you think you can escape from me, then you are indeed a mistake!" he then picked up a thin whip with pieces of shattered glass at the tips and began the lashings.

Her screams were one of pure agony, her bones beginning to show through her ripping back. But John just laughed at the sight. He most indeed enjoyed ripping her back open painfully.

After what felt like forever, they stopped. There was a pause, the only sounds being Kagome's sobs and John and Jerry's wicked laughter. The two men then made their way up the stairs.

The door shut with a loud slam, leaving Kagome to bleed to death. After crying for hours, she began to wiggle, giving a try at loosening the chains. Surprisingly, Jerry was very drunk when he chained her up and the chains came off almost immediately. Kagome ell to the floor with a loud thump and she jerked her head to the door, hoping they didn't hear her.

When she found they didn't, she just curled up in a ball and cried, whispering, "Lovett...Sweeney...Toby..." for quiet awhile. When she got over her shock, she stood and tried to find a way out or to signal for help.

Kagome looked everywhere, but it seemed hopeless. _Maybe I shouldn't get help, _she thought to herself. Going into depression, she slowly fell to her knees and again curled into a ball. _Daddy wasn't always so mean. So, I mustn't done something, _Kagome thought gloomily. For a few moments, the girl thought of going up there and having her Father rend her worthless life once and for all when Mrs Lovett's words reached her mind.

_Oh, Darling! You've done nothin' wrong! Don't ever think you should be punished for trying to help! _Kagome's eyes shot open. She sat up and looked around, as if the baker was really there.

More of Mrs. Lovett' words reached her, _Don' you be listening to anything that bastard says!_that was it, that's what made her mind up. She was going to find a way out of this place! Kagome took another look around as she stood, flinching at the pain in her back. When she thought it was useless, she spotted the grates. She moved closer and saw they led to the sewers.

Kagome immediately had an idea and look for paper. When she found none, she settled for the fabric of her dress. The girl found a small twig by the furnace Careful not to get burned, Kagome swapped the stick and began to write in her own blood her message of pleas for help from the outside world_. _When she was done, she tied the fabric together a a lace form her torn dress an and threw it down the grates, hoping nothing more that someone find it.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, Go Kagome! You're so smart! (your welcome for that by the way ^-^) Oh, and Sweeney is finally noticing Lovett's love for him! Its a two-for-one-win for me! Though I guess the torture was a fail (I'm So Sorry, Kagome! I'll make it up to you!) but other then that, things are going smoothly.**

**Question: How do you communicate with the outside world in an enviroment much like Kagome's? The door is locked and guarded, mind you, so no easy answers!**

**Reviews are loved!**


	10. Chapter 10

_"OK, WHERE IS SHE?" Mrs. Lovett screamed in anger. Her nostrils were flared and her eyes were filled with pure hatred. John and Jerry looked up from their game of cards and jumped when they saw the vicious looking the woman's eyes._

"M-Miss! I must remind you I Don-", "DON' YA DARE TRY THAT ON ME AGAIN!" She screamed again. Sweeney rushed in and held her tightly before she did anything she might regret.

"W-Wot are do ya think yer doin'?" John said angrily as he stood up slowly. Before Sweeney had the chance to stop her, Mrs. Lovett had wrenched herself from the barber's grip and slapped the inventor across the face.

"WE FOUND OUT THAT YA DID SEE ME KAGOME! IN FACT, I'M SURE YER THE ONE WOT KIDNAPPED 'ER!"

There was a short pause before John had hit the baker in the jaw, sending her flying to the floor. "Jerry! Ge' the ol' bloke!" He shouted as he pulled Mrs. Lovett up standing by her hair. IN that same moment, as quick as he could blink, Sweeney was shot in the chest.

He didn't even hear the shot, didn't see the gun anywhere, and most certainly didn't hear Mrs. Lovett scream as he fell into darkness.

* * *

Kagome was sure she was having a nightmare. At first she felt tears of happiness in the back o her eyes as she thought they had finally come to rescue her, but that feeling instantly sank when she heard the shot and the scream. The door was kicked open.

She froze.

Mrs. Lovett was thrown down the stairs, her screams getting louder and more pain filled with each loud thud. When she hit the stone hard floor, Kagome immediately rushed over ti her side.  
She hesitantly hovered a hand over her non moving head. "M-Missus...L-Lovett...?" there was a groan. Kagome gasped as she jumped back, surprised she survived the fall. The baker put a gently hand to her head, hissing in pain.

She looked up at the girl and froze. "K...Kagome?" she immediately fell into the woman's arms, crying uncontrollably.

"Oh, Kagome! I'm so 'appy I've found ya!" Mrs. Lovett cried into Kagome black hair while she did the same into her chest.

There was a dark chuckle from above and they both whipped their heads to see John's wicked grin. The baker instinctively held Kagome tighter to herself, causing the man to laugh more. "If you think you can protect that worthless shit, you are sadly mistaken, my dear!"

Mrs. Lovett's eyes flashed rage. "DON' YA DARE CALL ME LITTLE LASS THAT AGAIN!" she roared. John just rolled his eyes. He then looked beside him and nodded his head in the pair's direction.

Soon, Sweeney's body was rolling and bumping down the old wooden steps just as The baker's had.

The two girl's mouths opened wide in horror, not daring to fear the worst. When Sweeney finally landed in front of them, Mrs. Lovett instantly checked his pulse. There was a short pause that Kagome spent looking at the baker with teary and hope filled eyes. Then a sigh, "Oh, thank the 'heavens, 'es still here wit us,".

The girl sighed a large relief sigh. "Now, you three stay put while I an' me pal Jerry turn in for the night. Don' worry, we'll be come back in the morn to finish 'im off," John said casually as he looked at the three.

"The hell you will." Mrs. Lovett said darkly. John looked at her, "I'm sure me other friends would be more than willing to pay a good pound fer ya," he said thoughtfully.

The baker growled. "As fer you," he locked eyes with Kagome. "I think I'll put ya in the whore house. Though this is London, there are a shortage of 'em, and they already offered a good price-", **"MAN OR WOMAN, DEVIL OR SAINT, HIGH BORN OR LOW BORN, NO ONE WILL **_EVER_** PUT MY GIRL IN A WHORE HOUSE!"** Mrs. Lovett screamed, completely filled with rage. She took Kagome in her arms again and she clung on.

"**I'LL MURDER THE WHOLE OF LONDON AND ME SELF BEFORE THAT 'APPENS! YOU CAN JUST TELL THEM WHORES TO HIGH TELL IT OUTTA ENGLAND BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY IN THE DEEPEST, DARKEST, BLOODIEST PIT O' HELL WHERE I'LL ALLOW _ANYONE_ TO TOUCH HER **_**AGAIN**!_**"**

There was a long pause. Kagome was now slightly frightened by how she was acting, so vicious and fierce, like a tigress protecting her cub, but she would endure seeing her actually slaughter the whole of London to keep the feeling of being loved, valued, and cherished with her her whole life.

John was slightly taken aback and Jerry's wide eyes said more. Soon, the man smirked and said very wickedly, "Oh, we shall see." And with that, he shut the door.

* * *

Sweeney couldn't see anything. Everything was dark and the only thing he could hear was the very sound of his own heart. It took him only a moment to realize his eyes were closed. The demon barber's eyes fluttered open, only then did he feel the coldness of the stone hard floor he found himself lying on.

Though it was hard to see anything in the dim lighting, Sweeney turned his head to the side, shocked to see the faces of Mrs. Lovett and Kagome looking at him like he'd grown two heads. But that was only for a split second.

The next thing the barber knows, hes being squeezed to death. The baker and young girl was clinging onto him desperately and crying like crazy, as if he might disappear into thin air. Which was kinda the same as him dying.

Sweeney squirmed under the two's embraces for a while before getting the breathe to speak, "What the bloody 'ell is wrong?"

Mrs. Lovett finally pulled back slightly and looked at him with tear filled eyes, sorrow easily displayed. "We...We thought you was gone," she sobbed. Now that he thought of it, his side had been killing him since he woke up. He tried to sit up, but immediately fell back with a loud groan of pain.

Kagome gasped and jumped off him. She then began to look around the room for anything that might help. Mrs. Lovett also gasped and pulled his head into her lap as she tried to use the cloth of her dress to stop the blood from the bullet wound that was now opened.

When she spotted something, Kagome began to quickly, or at least try to, crawl over to the sewer grates, where spotted two thin sticks. She grabbed them and hurried over to Sweeney, was beginning to cough up little blood.

Kagome then handed them to Mrs. Lovett. The baker looked at her weirdly. "Use these like tongs and pry the bullet out!" the girl instructed, slightly irritated.

The baker nodded her head and took the sticks. Kagome held Sweeney's hand, knowing this was going to hurt. Mrs. Lovett took a breath and plunged the sticks into his stomach.

The barber gasped and squeezed Kagome's hand so hard she was sure he was cutting off her circulation, but she just closed her eyes and squeezed back as hard as she can. It took a while for Lovett to find the bullet, Kagome and Sweeney bearing through the pain of the whole situation, but she soon pulled it out of Sweeney's abdomen with caution.

The woman tossed the bullet to the side with a sigh of relief. Sweeney finally released Kagome's hand with a hiss of pain. The girl flinched as she looked at her hand, it was scrunched into a very weird shape and it was a very disturbing bluish color.

Despite the, almost literally, bone crushing pain, Kagome just smiled and hid her hand behind her back. The barber sat up, flinching slightly as Mrs. Lovett tore a piece of cloth from her dress off and wrapped it around Sweeney's mid section to stop the bleeding.

"What happened?" he asked, scratching his head. The girl and baker looked at each other worriedly. "Its...John." Mrs. Lovett said quietly. At first Sweeney just looked at her like he was comprehending what she was saying, but then his face turned stone again.

He tried to stand, but ended up falling into the arms of the baker. "Wot are ya doin'?" she asked as he groaned in pain. "We need to get out of here." he groaned. "We can't go anywhere," Kagome whispered from beside the baker.

The two looked at her. Her grim expression surprising them. She continued, "Daddy...he...we..oh no!" Kagome breaks into hysterical sobs as her head crashing into her hands.

Mrs. Lovett gasps at the sudden out burst and pulls the girl into her arms also, her and Sweeney holding her gently as she lays in the baker's lap. The baker strokes her hair slowly while Sweeney rubs her back loving.

"Don' worry, darlin', we'll ge' out o' here," She cooed. Kagome's sobs start again, "B-But I-Its my f-fault y-you guys-,", "Oh, don' worry 'bout us. The whole reason we came was t rescue you."

The girl grips onto her dress tightly while the baker holds her closer. "I promise you, love, we'll make it out o' 'ere." Kagome nodded her head and soon fell into an uneasy sleep.

After a while, Sweeney was about to doze off himself when he heard Mrs. Lovett's soft weeping. "What's wrong?" he asked unfeelingly, he knew it too late, but he didn't want the baker thinking he'd went all soft.

"Oh, Sweeney!" she cried, taking her hand from Kagome's black locks and gripped his shirt, her other and keeping him sitting up by pressing onto the small of his back.

The barber awkwardly embraced her as she sobbed, " 'E-'e said h-he was g-goin' to put the b-both o' us in a whore 'ouse!" she cried into his chest. This infuriated Sweeney so much so he thought his eyes were actually red at the moment.

"What did you say?" he asked eagerly. "I-I told 'im 'ow I-I wasn' goin' to let 'im d-do it, b-but then I-I thought 'ow you migh' be dead a-an' I thought w-we were goners!" she lost herself in hysterical sobs after that.

The barber whispered comforting words as he rubbed her back and held her close to him. When it started to get to the point where he thought she might choke herself, he whispered in her ear, "Come on, now, Don't you remember what I promised?"

Mrs. Lovett pulled back and looked at her through her tears. "We're leaving this place, Together. The only difference is that instead of getting the law," he pulled out one of his razors. "I'll have his blood on my hands myself.

This comforted her more than anything could have and the baker smiled, letting herself lean onto him and falling into a deep, uneasy sleep. Soon, Sweeney felt his eyes close and they all slept that way, as a family, waiting for the dawn.

* * *

Now he was getting worried. It was sunset, already dark out, and they hadn't came back. Toby paced in the parlor, the gin no longer helping. Why hadn't they come back? Sure, the girl was hopeless, but did it really take this long to find her?

He mentally slapped himself. He should have gone with them! But no, his damn jealousy got the best of him! Wait, did he just admit he was jealous? Oh well, it didn't matter. It wasn't like there was anyone around to prove it.

Then, he heard something. Toby froze in his tracks. It didn't come from the front door, no, it came from Mrs. Lovett's room. Caution in his face, he inched his way to the door.

It sounded again. It sounded like a high pitched shriek, but smaller. Toby had to close his eyes as he threw the door opened, jumping back in case it was some animal. And it was. It was Kagome's kitten, yes, Kagome's.

When nothing came at him, the boy looked to find the smaller, silver white kitten sitting comfortably on the bed, nestled in the pillows.

Toby sighed silently with relief then strode into the room, smirking to himself how he was afraid of such a small creature. AS he got closer, he could see something tied around its neck.

When he got closer, Toby saw it was a piece of String that said, 'Leroy'. Almost instantly he could tell the girl had brought this animal in, He could tell rather easily form the crudely written name.

Making sure not ot get scratched, he slowly stretched out his hand to pet it. The young cat instantly put its furry head to his small hand and purred happily. The then relaxed, glad to see it was friendly. He checked and confirmed that Leroy was a boy.

"Do ya know where she is?" he asked the animal pointlessly. The kitten stared at him. Toby sighed, "I'm goin' crazy. I'm talkin' to a cat!" he said aloud. So, he played with Leroy for some time, still waiting for his mum and the rest.

But it wasn't long until the cat noticed Kagome's absence and went to the door, scratching it while meowing loudly. Toby mistook it as a gesture to use the bathroom, so he opened the door with no hesitation, thinking he'd go and come right back, but that wasn't the case.

Once he was let out, Leroy rushed through the streets of London, sniffing out Kagome. Toby quickly realized what he was doing and hurried to follow. "Come on, boy, lead us to 'er!" he told him encouragingly.

* * *

**A/N: LOL, KItty Lassie! Oh well, had to put _some _animal in here! Yay! Lovett and Kagome are reunited at last! Believe me, I've been setting up this whole thing for quite some time _just_for that little speech of Lovett's.**

**And NO Sweeney will not die! I _refuse _to let him get away that easlily without proclaiming his undying love for Lovett!**

**BUT that doesn't mean everything will be all good and well in the story. Many things could happen: Kagome and Mrs. Lovett _could _be set off to a whore house, Toby could get killed (or do you guys even really care?) Sweeney could die, or John could get rid of all of them at once, or maybe...the unimaginable could happen!**

**I guess You'll just have to keep reading and leaving reviews to find out.**

**Question: How do you react when reuniting with a loved one? And no not exactly under the same conditions as Kaogme and Lovett's reunion was. It could be thoug, if something like that had happened. If not, imagine its been years. How do you react?**


	11. Chapter 11

The demon barber was the first to wake up, his eyes slowly fluttering open. He grunted softy as he attempted to rub the sleep form his eyes, only to look down to see Kagome gripping his hand in a soft grip and the other hand holding Mrs. Lovett to him.

Sweeney sighed as he looked up the stairs to see the old wooden door, half expecting it to swing open any moment.

Another look down said the two girls were in a peaceful sleep, their breathing soft and slow. Pain instantly shot through his body as he attempted to move so he wasn't sitting on his feet, the gun shot wound reminding him not to move.

Sweeney sighed in frustration, he had promised the two that they would be going home _together,_but how could they escape? Yes, it was really 3 against one, but Kagome didn't count, being the most damaged out of them all.

Yes, he had his razors and his strength was nothing to doubt, but the gun shot wound in his side prevented him from moving at all just about.

No doubt Lovett could throw a punch, but she already seemed in a fragile state, and how could he blame her? She was a woman after all, they could only handle so much.

The barber muttered a curse as the pain of the wound in his side began to very slowly fade back into numbness. He breathed in through his nose, inhaling Mrs. Lovett's scent of vanilla and Cinnamon, a small smile broke out onto his face.

He looked down at the baker leaning against him, her head rolled to one side, exposing her pale and slender neck. Her eyes were softly shut and her lips were parted slightly.

One of her hands rested in his lap and the other one resting on Kagome's head. The girl's head was laid down on the baker's lap, one of her little hands holding his softly and the other one gripped Mrs. Lovett's skirts tightly.

Both of their expression spoke peace, but he knew that it wouldn't last soon. AS he predicted, Mrs. Lovett gave a loud yawn, her eyes fluttering open.

He watched her stretch her arms and rub the sleep out of her eyes. She looked around lazily, she gasped and she found him staring at her, his expression stone cold.

"Mr. T!" Mrs. Lovett gasped, "Gave me a fright, ya did!" she whispered loudly. Sweeney just stared at her. The baker looked around and then froze. She suddenly whipped her head to face him. "Wot time is it?" she asked nervously.

He looked around, "I'm not quite sure, maybe day break," he replied, not looking at her. Neither one could really tell, it was so dark down there.

Mrs. Lovett sighed and wrapped her arms around the barber's upper body, her head resting in the crook of his neck. Surprisingly, he didn't push away. Instead, Sweeney hesitantly put a hand on the small of her back.

There was a short silence before Mrs. Lovett suddenly said, "Oh, Mr. T, wot are we gonna do?" she sounded close to tears.

Sweeney just rubbed her head with his face. "Don't worry, pet, we'll ge' outta here," he whispered. Both pairs of eyes fell onto Kagome's sleeping form and the baker began to tear up.

* * *

"Sorry!"

"Well, I never!"

" 'xcuse me!"

"Watch were ya goin', lad!"

"Comin' through!"

"Watch it!"

Toby continued to dodged the crowd as he tried to keep up with Leroy. He knew he had to save Kagome, for sure his mum and Mr. Todd would be there too, where else could they have gone?

The kitten was but a white blur in the streets as he jumped from stone to stone on the cobblestone road. "Wait up, Leroy!" the boy called, rushing through the streets.

But the cat had no such intentions, speeding up as he sniffed the ground. Leroy came to an end where he circled around a small candy shop. When Toby squeezed through the sea of people, Leroy rubbed up against his leg as he then stopped in front of the shop.

The boy looked at the cat then bravely walked in. He immediately went up to the old man at the desk. Toby's hands crashed onto the edge of the old wooden desk as he leaned over it, his chest heaving with heavy, ragged breaths. Leroy had proved to be a very fast cat on his paws. The boy was barely able to keep up with him through the crowded streets of London.

" 'Xcuse me, but 'ave ya seen a little girl anywhere 'round 'ere?" Toby asked, panting as sweat dripped down his face.

The old man looked up from his papers and smiled warmly. "Why, yes I 'ave, lad. 'Bout 'round a few 'ours 'go." he said, his voice rather rusty and sounding like the sound of the wind against the ground in the desert.

Toby nodded, "Thank ya, sir." and he rushed off, Leroy trailing quickly behind. After walking a few blocks away form the sweets shop, He pulled a long blue, Lacy ribbon that Kagome tied her high pig tails in. He knelt down and held it to Leroy.

"Come on, boy, I know ya ain't a blood hound, or anything close to that, but ya gotta sniff 'er out so we can find her, mum, an' Mr. Todd." The kitten wasted no time in sniffing the ribbon many times before pushing his nose into the dirty cobblestone road.

A few seconds later, Leroy began running again, down a dark, long looking alley. Toby looked where he was headed and gulped. "Ya sure they're in there?" he asked the cat with nervous eyes. As if understanding him, the white Kitten rubbed up against his leg before following an invisible trail of scent down the path.

Another gulp, and Toby felt his body go into auto pilot, his legs following the strange man inside, but his mind fearing the worst down the road. Literally.

* * *

A few hours later, Kagome began to stir in her sleep, muttering things neither of them could quite hear and a whimper of fear here and there. When she began to toss and turn, her blood covered face scrunched in sorrow, Mrs. Lovett stroked her long dark locks. This action seemed to calm the child as she resumed her place in Lovett's lap, clutching her skirts tightly and burrowing her face in them.

A weak smile came to Mrs. Lovett's face, but vanished almost instantly with a sad sigh. Sweeney looked down at her, the smallest hint of concern on his face. "What's wrong?" he asked her, disguising his voice with annoyance.

Mrs. Lovett shook her head, "Just' thinkin'." she replied softly. He glanced down at the young child in her lap, "About the lass?" he asked, his voice faltered only slightly.

"Yeah...She's such a dear," the baker stroked her cheek with her index finger. "So young, so lovin', so smart, an' such a 'ard little worker..." she sighed, tears tugging at the corners of her eyes.

Sweeney slowly wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she began to sob quietly. "I-I know we 'aven't k-known 'er l-long, but..." a few tears escape her eyes and ran down her cheeks. He wiped them away with his thump gently, not saying a word. They sit in silence, the only sound is that of her soft sobs.

Mrs. Lovett brings her now tear stained face to his. "I-I jus' think of 'er as m-me own, Sweeney!" they both looked at each other, both pairs of eyes widening in surprise at the fact she called him by his first name.

Lovett tears her eyes from his to look at the slumbering little girl in her lap. "An' I just don't wanna lose 'er." when the barber hears the sobs building in her throat, threatening to take over, he encircles her in his arms, burying his face in her fiery Auburn curls.

As the baker begins to cry into his chest, Sweeney comfortingly brings his other arm from Kagome's shoulders to envelope Mrs. Lovett.

He feels her tense and freeze slightly in his embrace, but she soon relaxed as clung onto the barber as if she were to die if she didn't, her sobs racking her body violently. They stayed like that for a few minuets before he finally pulled away, looking into her face, which was twisted in sorrow.

"Don' worry," Sweeney whispered softly. He takes his thumb and wipes away the tears falling form her eyes, running down her face.

"I know things aren't looking their best, but when I make a promise," he takes her in his arms again a she begins to calm down, hugging the barber tightly against her body.

"I intend to keep it." he says softly into her hair. It is at this moment where the wooden door up the stairs is swings open, a shadowy figure standing in the threshold.

* * *

Mrs. Lovett felt her blood freeze. She whipped her head to the stair case following up to the wooden door that had been swung opened, as did Sweeney. The barber acted on instinct and wrapped an arm around the baker's petite waist, holding her against his body tightly, also taking his other hand from her back and gripping Kagome's forearm just as tight, dragging her body slightly closer to his.

A wicked chuckle filled the air for a moment, followed by leather boots loudly hitting the wooden stairs. "Aw, don' you three look adorable?" John mused, his hands behind his back as he stopped in front of the three, Jerry coming to stand behind him.

Sweeney lets out a low, angry growl when he noticed the shining dagger gripped tightly in the inventor's hand. John looks at him and then brings the knife up to look at it. "Oh, you think I'm gonna 'urt ya wit this?" he asks, giving a pointed look at the barber.

There is a short pause, then the man slowly grins. "I 'ave no need to stab ya with this, seein' as you're practically dead." he points to the bleeding wound in Sweeney's side, red rubies spilling onto the cold stone floor.  
"No, I see a much better use fer this 'ittle thing," he slowly encircles the trio. When he stands behind Mrs. Lovett, he nods at Jerry. Within the next second, the large brute has tackled the barber to the ground, now punching him repeatedly.

The baker gasps in surprise before John grabs her by the hair and brings her back pressing against his chest, pointing the dagger at her throat.

Hitting her head on the stone hard floor, Kagome shoots up with a gasp of surprise. Her face immediately reflects the panic in her mind as she looks at the barber, then the baker. The girl's eyes land on the inventor holding Mrs. Lovett to his chest, her eyes pleading.

"Please," she begins, "let them go. They've done nothing, I sent a note for help, they-"," Oh, shut up, would ya?" John drops Lovett to the floor to walk over to Kagome and kick her hard in the chest.

As Kagome coughed up a fair amount of blood, Mrs. Lovett had the opportunity to grab a stray brick that just so happened to be right beside her head when she was thrown to the ground, and bashed the bloke right over his head.

The inventor gave a pained shout as he fell to his knees, dropping the dagger as he clutched his head. The baker grabbed the knife as she stood up and grabbed Kagome's hand, both running toward Jerry and Sweeney.

Mrs. Lovett stopped in front og the pair, pointing the dagger at the large brute while Kagome stood behind her, leaning on the baker for support. She was nearly certain her father had broken a leg...or two. Along with a few ribs as well, probably.

"Ya ge' off 'im right this instant or I'll tear yer face to ribbons!" she threatened. Jerry just chuckled, punching the barber underneath him before standing and slapping the knife out of her hand in on swift motion.

Mrs. Lovett looks fearfully at the large man now grinning wickedly as he approached her slowly. Kagome gasped as the baker began to back away slowly.

Jerry grabbed the baker by her throat and pushed her up against the brick wall. "What a feisty thing ya are," he breathed, his warm breath on her neck. Mrs. Lovett shuddered at the imagination of his thoughts at the moment.

"Leave her alone!" the raven haired child yelled, taking the discarded dagger and stabbing Jerry in the thigh with it. The man let out a howl of pain, falling to his knees as John had done.

The barber and baker stared at the girl holding the dagger weakly in her small hand, her legs visibly trembling. Sweeney cradled the side of his face as he stood and walked over to the girl and baker, giving John and Jerry a good kick in the head along the way.

"Come on," he grabbed both their hands. "we better get outta here before-"." Not so fast!" a gun shot rang through the basement as all three gasped in shock as they all Lay eyes on the target, apparently hit.

* * *

As he and his feline companion stalked the streets, Toby took notice of hi surroundings. Yes, he'd been here before, he just couldn't quite put a finger where.

The gloomy streets, the gray sky that was always separated from the dark blue of the rest of London, the dirt and grime covered roads, it all seems to be he same. The only difference is that no one occupied it.

The always seemed to be pick-pockets, murders, or rapists filling the streets,m but now it was like a ghost town, though it was like this before, but without the ghosts.

Looking above him, Toby also took notice of the smoke coming out of a nearby factory, which he quickly recognized as the work house he used to reside in.

AS the realization of this sank in, he gasped in shock. Toby had heard that it was closed down many years ago due to some mad man trying some weird invention and ended up killing most of the workers.

Leroy paid the boy no mind as he continued to sniff out his mistress, his nose buried in the filth covered streets like a bloodhound. When he picked up something, he hissed in the direction of the work house and quickly raced to it.

The sound of the kitten's small paws, Toby pulled himself out of his trance and hurried after Leroy, now feeling even more uneasy that the location his family was in was his former hell.

* * *

**A/N: OH NOEZ! someone got shot! I realy hope it wasn't kagome! Or Lovett! Or, Heaven forbid twice in the same day, SWEENEY! Who ever it was, _SOMEONES GONNA PAY! *Glares at John* _Anyway, Yay! Toby found them! Took him long enough if you asked me!**

**Question: Who do think got hit? Just guess. If they did get hit, how do you react? How will the other characters react? Leave a review response!**


	12. Chapter 12

Kagome and Sweeney both gasped as Mrs. Lovett fell to the floor, grabbing her side, the blood flowing like a peaceful stream. Though, nothing was peaceful, nothing at all. The barber dropped to his knees, ignoring the pain in his own side as he cradled the baker in his arms as she hissed in pain.

Sweeney quickly tried to stop the blood flow by ripping a strip of the woman's skirts and tied them around her small waist, but the red rubies just bled through. Kaolin could only stand and watch with shock and fear filled eyes, time seeming to slow down. Her pain completely forgotten and the only thing she seemed to feel was numbness.

She watched as the baker cried out in pain, watched the barber finally showing some emotion for the first time she'd ever set eyes on him, panic. She watched as her father and his partner laughed evilly, and she couldn't tear her eyes away when Mrs. Lovett opened hers.

The girl had thought this over a thousand times in her mind. Though she'd only been standing there a few moments, she immediate recognized the look in Mrs. Lovett's eyes. The very same look in her own as her father torture her, a look of pure agony and misery.

Very slowly, time seemed to speed up. Mrs. Lovett's howls of pain seeming more clear and loud, along with the sound of her own fast breathing. Kagome blinked and the freeze frame she thought she was in had gone.

Sweeney had never shown any emotion, at least never in her presence. But as she watched the barber's breath quicken, his eyes become wide with panic and shock, Kagome knew the situation was near hopeless just by the flashing look of despair in his eyes.

"Oh, what a waste," John's voice called out, sarcastic pity spilling from his mouth with ease as his pout slowly spread into an evil grin. "to 'ave such a pretty face die us' to try an' save some worthless shits." he ends with a brutal laugh.

Before anyone could register what she had done, Mrs. Lovett had John pinned to the floor as she strangled him, straddling his hips and screaming in his face, "I SAID TO NEVER CALL MY LITTLE GIRL THAT AGAIN!"

There was a short pause before Jerry took action and yanked the baker by the hair and threw her to Sweeney. Kagome was once again frozen.

The large brute helped the inventor to his feet. "Why you Little devil," he muttered as he rubbed his sore throat. Again, another bullet sliced threw the air, then two.

Faster than lightening, Sweeney yanked Kagome out of the line of fire and jumped over her, a bullet hitting him in his back. Mrs. Lovett's mouth hang open in a silent scream as she was hit in the stomach.

Kagome finally screamed as Sweeney groaned in pain and she saw Mrs. Lovett's whole front splashed over with crimson blood. Only when she spotted John about to pull the trigger again, did she scream out, "ENOUGH!"

She felt everyone's attention on her now, but she didn't care. She looked down at the stone floor, her loosened pony tails covering her face like a water fall.

"I'll go with you." she said in a low voice. The inventor lowered his gun and looked at her thoughtfully. "You really believe I would be tricked so easily?" he asked in a menacing tone. "No, I mean it," came her grim reply, still refusing to face him.

"I won't fight, I won't run away," her voice was now strained slightly. "Everything will be the way it was. All I ask," there was a short pause where no one said anything. "is that you leave them alone." now there were tears in Lovett's eyes and Sweeney felt as if his ice cold heart had been stabbed with a pick ax. "That we leave this damned, God forsaken Hell hole once and for all-" here the baker gasped silently at the girl's colorful language. "- and you hurt no one but me."

John stared at her suspiciously, his brow furrowed and scratched at his chin. "And how am I to know that they won't follow us?" he asked, taking a glance at the couple on the ground, bleeding.

There was a short pause. Then, Kagome answered darkly, "I'll make sure of it." a chill ran up the baker's back. She had never seen the girl so dark, so much like Sweeney. The demon barber was also disturbed slightly. Things weren't supposed to be this way...

The girl then raised her head to reveal a smile frown and teary eyes that made Sweeney's eyes water. "I promise." There was a short freeze of everything before he grinned wickedly and nodded slowly.

"No!" Mrs. Lovett screamed, grabbed Kagome by the skirts and wrapping her arms around her tightly. "I won't let you take 'er!" Mrs. Lovett screams desperately as she holds onto the girl in a vice like grip.

Sweeney and Kagome stared at the baker with wide eyes. Then, Sweeney dragged himself into a sitting position and enclosed the baker and the girl in his arms protectively, his face determined.

There was a short pause, then, Kagome sighed. She stood up and began walking toward John and Jerry when Mrs. Lovett grabbed her wrist. The girl sighed and looked away from the baker's tears to hide her own.

"You can't do this." she whispered, still refusing to face the couple. "We won't let you do this." Sweeney's cold voice spoke. There was a short silence, "You should." she said.

"And you shouldn't do this." Lovett's voice cried, her tears evident through them. "I have t-", "We can't let you do this!" the baker cried once more, the tears flowing freely now.

Kagome then whipped her head around to face the two, her eyes blood shot and puffy from crying silently. The look on her face was enough to break both hearts. "And I can't let you die." she whispered coldly, cracking toward the end like a desperate plea.

She yanked her wrist free of the baker's grasp and grabbed a large rock. The last thing the barber or the baker saw was Kagome's tears running down her small face, her eyes closed as the rock came far too close for comfort.

* * *

t was at this instant that Toby and Leroy had burst into the factory. John whipped his head to the wooden door above his head and looked at Kagome suspiciously. She looked back at him through her tears and said calmly, "Don't worry. I got it", "You had better." her replied bluntly.

Then, She let out a scream, "HELP!" in an instant, Toby was racing down the wooden steps. "Mum!" he shouted as he saw the baker lying unconscious on the floor. "I'm sorry," he turned around and Kaolin was there with the same rock gripped tightly in her hands.

It was over in a second, Toby fell to the stone floor with a thud. "But its for the best." she whispered softly. Jerry gaped at the girl while John just dded his head approvingly.

The girl jumped as she felt Leroy rub up against her leg. Kagome looked down at the kitten sadly and picked it up. "We're NOT keeping that flea bag." the inventor called out carelessly.

"I know." Kagome sighed. "Listen, Leroy," she sighed again, causing the kitten's ears to perk up like a canine. "I won't be with you anymore. You'll be living with Mrs. Lovett, Mr. T, and Toby from now on," Leroy simply meowed sadly in reply.

"I know, I'm gonna miss you, too. But you have to promise me you'll watch over them and take care of them no matter what for me, OK?" after a short silence the snow white kitten meowed and licked her face clean of her tears.

She smiled at the feline one last time before putting him down and turned to her father. "OK, I'm ready to go. " the girl said sadly. "First you're helping with these guys." John said firmly, nodding toward Lovett, Sweeney and Toby. She nodded.

* * *

**A/N: Hey, This chapter hurt me to write as much as it hurts you to read! Is this the end? Is it as tragic as you'd hoped? Will it _become_tragic? WHo knows...**

***Sniff* poor Kagome...I'm just always picking on her, aren't I? Oh well, who ever said I was going to be merciful?**

**Poor Toby, getting hit over the head like that. And all because he wanted to find his mum. The world just seems to pick on him, too. But in my defense, I only pick on Toby because he killed Sweeney! But I guess I hate Sweeney because he killed Lovett...Yeah, it stops there.**

**I Love Lovett and could never hate her...maybe in some twisted fanfiction where shes totally different, but besides that, I could never hate Nellie! ^-^**

**Question: If you were Lovett or Sweeney, how would you feel about Kagome's decision? Would you be proud? Sad? Angry? What?**

**Leave a review reply and I'll hand you a shout out!**


	13. Good Bye

Mrs. Lovett's eyes fluttered open as the morning sun filled the room. She turned her head to the side to see she was in her bedroom, tucked in comfortably. The baker shook her head slightly, for she didn't recall going to bed or anything before, and she especially didn't recall how she got bandaged around her mid section. Then, putting a hand to her mouth, she shot up when the memories came flooding through her mind.

It took her only a moment before she ripped the blankets and covers off her and began racing to find Sweeney, despite the slight stinging of her gun shot wounds. At the same time, the barber was just blinking his eyes open from his place on his death chair, staring at his shop in confusion, his back and mid section also bandaged and healing.

At the very same time the memories of the events of the night before, Mrs. Lovett burst through the door, total and utter shock masking her sorrow and grief.

They stared at each other for what seemed like hours before the baker asked, "Did it really 'appen?"

There was a short silence before he could respond. "I...think so." it was only a few seconds before she broke down in the threshold, hugging herself tightly as she cried her own little waterfall.

The barber just stared for a moment, then immediately sitting beside her and rocking her back and forth in his arms. "I promised I'd protect 'er!" she cried into his chest.

"Its alright, you did your best," Sweeney whispered softly in her red curls as he rubbed her back. But this only seemed to make it worse, "ITS NOT ALRIGHT!" she screamed, pushing him away.

The barber landed on his bottom with a thud as she stood towering over him. "I SHOULD 'AVE KEPT 'ER WITH ME! I SHOULD 'AVE WENT WITH 'ER! I SHOULD 'AVE KILLED THE BASTARD THE MOMENT 'E LET ME IN THE PLACE! I SHOULDN'T 'AVE NOT 'ER SLIP THROUGH ME FINGERS! I SHOULDN'T 'AVE LET THAT SON OF A BITCH TAKE 'ER FROM ME-"," HE TOOK HER FROM US!" Sweeney screamed as he stood and grabbed the baker's wrists.

Mrs. Lovett stared at him with wide alarmed eyes. "HE TOOK HER FROM US, NELLIE!" there was a short pause. The barber sighed, "Is not your fault, He took her, we couldn't do anything about it. She wanted to, she did for us." he whispered more calmly as he wrapped his arms around her once again. The baker froze for a moment before she began crying again.

"I jus' wish," Lovett began quietly with a sniff, tears streaming down her face," We could 'ave done more for 'er."

Sweeney sighs and just rubs her back as they both sink to the ground. "Me too." he whispers, his voice faltering in the slightest.

* * *

Feeling a wet sensation nip at his face, Toby blinked his eyes open to find Leroy licking him. He sat up and looked around, finding he was placed on the couching the parlor. Flinching as he put a gentle hand to the back of his head, Toby tried to remember the events of the night before.

Hearing the painful wails of is mum, he shoots up and races to Sweeney's shop. When he bursts into the room, he suddenly remembers Kagome, holding a rock over her head with tears in her eyes.

Toby's eyes widen in realization as he kneels down by the couple and holds the baker gently as Sweeney did. Feeling his smalls hands grab her back, Mrs. Lovett gasps and whips her head to face him. "OH, Toby!" she cries and she holds him tightly to her.

"'M so glad your alrigh'!" the baker cries. She moved her hand to stroke his hair when he groaned in pain and flinched slightly. Lovett's brow furrowed and she pulled back and turned him around to see a dark purple bruise on the back of his head. She gasped, "Toby! where did ya get this?"

He sighed, "Kagome. 'M sorry, mum. I knew ya liked 'er an' all, bu' I jus' knew she was trouble." The baker gasped. "Wot are ya talkin' 'bout? She saved us from 'er monster of' a father!" she exclaimed.

Toby turned to look at her with curious eyes. "But...when I came to the work 'ouse, you an' Mr. T on the floor out cold!" he exclaimed.

Mrs. Lovett just shook her head as she felt more tears roll down her face. "Toby, love," she said sadly, shaking her head as she closed her eyes, more tears spilling over. "she was protectin' us." her voice dropping lower with each word before she lost her voice to sobs.

* * *

As she packed her father's belongings, Kagome sighed. London was definitely not the place for a child, but knowing people who cared about her lived here, she didn't give a damn.

The young girl took a deep breath as she heard her father's signature drunken laugh. The beatings were always worse when he was drunk.

Uncle Jerry's sound of him choking on the wine they were indulging in slightly as he laughed made her utter a curse under her breath. Kagome had never been more relieved that the barber, baker and boy had survived, but knowing that she would take their place in the grave in the future was still a downer.

"An' jus' imagin'," John's slurred ramblings reached her ears again, " All that land will be ours!"  
he spoke, laughter soon following.

The two had decided that America would be the best place to live, but in Kagome's eyes, everywhere was hell unless she could feel the baker's soft hand in hers, or the scent of her hair she smelt when she fell asleep by her side.

The two partners in the living room had drunken themselves into thinking they were millionaires, by the sound of their drunken ramblings.

Shaking her head in disgust, Kagome snapped the lock on her father's luggage.

She had already packed her uncle's, and she didn't own anything but the dress hanging loosely on her body and the two light blue lace ribbons she ad found near the sewers holding up her now hanging raven black pigtails.

"Hurry up, girl!" Jerry called, his voice slurring. With a deep breath, Kagome grabbed both heavy cases and headed to the living room.

The very room gave her the chills. She remembered when her father had owned the work house and that as a young child, she was forced to watch the worker children work until they either die from exhaustion or get caught in one of the dangerous machines, sometimes being forced to help them.

But the children were kind to her. Some just because she was a girl, for some she was just a young child, but most just saw her as another victim. They said it wasn't her fault the monster was her father.

Then there were those who tried to kill her, thinking if he had seen his 'precious daughter' die of the fates as so many other children, he would free them all.

But most of them knew he was too evil and mad to care for anyone himself.

So, as she walked in, Kagome frowned at the old bloodstained shirt that used to belong to one of the worker boys.

Looking up as she heard laughter, the girl's frown turned into a grimace as John and Jerry passed the wine bottle around, each taking long steady swigs.

Finally noticing her presence, her father stopped in his laughter and frowned at her.

"Wot in the 'ell took ya so damned long!" he called. Kagome muttered something about him breaking her arm, but he wavered the thought off, not really caring.

"That's no excuse for takin' so bloody long'!" her uncle yelled, slamming the bottle on the small table between them.

"Forge' 'bout I', brother," John slurred, standing from his seat at the table. "We need to get goin', gotta catch tha' boat 'fore it heads off to...that big land mass." his slurred gin induced voice spoke.

Rolling her eyes slightly, Kagome just says calmly, "Can we please get going?"

* * *

She cradles her bruised cheek as the tears prickle her eyes. "Come on then, 'fore ya ge' another whack!" her cruel father yells from his place in front if the carriage.

Sniffing, Kagome does as shes told and grabs the cases and heads for the carriage outside, where her uncle and father are sitting comfortably.

Only when she throws the cases in the back, does the girl think of where she is to sit. "Father," she says quietly, standing beside the carriage and talking to him through the window.

He narrows his eyes and glares at her like she'd try to steal his coin purse and grunts in response.

"Where am I to sit?" Kagome squeaks as she bites her lip. There was a short silence before John replies, "In the back with the bags of course, you stupid girl."

Sighing quietly, Kagome hangs her head and opens the back door when she is hit. With an idea.

Smiling happily to herself, she slams the door shut and just stands there. "Ready?" Jerry calls out. "Ready!" Kagome replies, trying to sound gloomy.

With a whip of the reins, the carriage is off. She continues to stand there until they are out of sight.

As her smile widens until her face hurts, she begins her fast walk to Fleet Street.

* * *

As he sat on the couch in the parlor once more, Toby continued to feel the repeating pain of guilt stab his heart until he is sure he is having a heart attack.

After everything he did, after everything he said, the girl had not only spared Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney's lives, but his as well.

Gripping the gin bottle in his hand tighter, Toby grinds his teeth in self hatred. How could he be so stupid? How could he let something so stood like jealousy take over him?

The boy was so worried she'd take his place in the baker's heart he had actually hoped something happened to her. Now, he wished he could make a deal with the devil himself to change things.

Face palming, Toby felt tears come to his eyes. He sniffed as he heard Mrs .Lovett's soft weeping in her bedroom down he hall and the sound of the silence upstairs.

It seemed to him that something as small as Mr. Sweeney's foot steps pounding the ceiling over his head let he know that everything was fine and how it should be. Now, the silence is the loudest sound he'd ever heard in his life.

When he thought about grabbing a knife from the kitchen, a soft knock at the door met his ears. He looks down at Leroy, sleeping peacefully on the chair across form him, making sure it wasn't the cat wanting another potty go-out.

Toby didn't move and hoped who ever it was would take a hint and go away, but this wasn't the case as the knocking continued.

When this came far too irritating and annoying, the boy sighed heavily and staggered to the door.

"We're closed." he said flatly to the wood. "Toby," came a soft, small, yet high pitched voice.

He was walking away when he heard it. Freezing, the boy held his breath for a moment before muttering a ghost's name.

"Kagome?"

Another short pause, then, "Toby, please let me in." that was it. Toby felt the tears of relief sting his eyes as he rushed over and flung the door open. He threw his arms wide and open and leaped forward.

Nothing.

The boy found himself laying on the hard cobblestone road, his arms folded underneath his body. A hallucination. A dream. Have I gone mad with guilt? He Toby thought to himself as he lay there in the cold afternoon air.

He soon found himself curling into a ball and crying. "Oh, Kagome! 'M so sorry 'bout 'ow I treated ya! 'M so sorry I thought so terribly of ya! Oh god, I'd give me soul jus' ta see 'er again!"

He stayed like that for quiet sometime before Mrs. Lovett found him. Opening the door, the baker gasped as she saw her boy rocking back and forth in a ball on the street.

"Toby!" she yelled as she knelt down and pulled him into her arms. But he didn't seem to register anything around him as he continued to mutter and chant, "I'm so sorry" over and over.

When the baker caught onto his ramblings, tears slowly leaked form her eyes as she held onto him tighter, whispering comforting words in his ear.

* * *

As she watched from afar, Kagome felt tears tug at the corners of her eyes. She never meant to hurt them. She simply wanted to protect them but as her father had said far too many ties for her fragile mind to stay stable, no matter what she did or tried to do, she ruined the entire thing. She couldn't imagine how Mr. T must be.

So, leaning against the building she hid herself with, Kagome wiped a stray tear and turned around.

Catching a glimpse of black pigtails, Mrs. Lovett gasped loudly and pulled out of Toby's arms. She froze for a moment to be sure she hadn't gone mad herself. When she was sure she wasn't dreaming, the baker sprang into action, tearing herself from the boy and racing to the small dark figure hiding behind a nearby building.

"Kagome!" she called out, putting all her desperation into that one name.

As she turned around to find who had called her, Kagome let the tears flow as free as the baker's as she saw her racing toward her, her arms open wide as the faint, sad smile on her face widened.

Before she could say anything, the girl was on the ground. Lovett had tackled her and was now crushing her in a very strong bear hug, crying her eyes out, but she didn't mind as she hugged back and cried just as hard.

* * *

**/N: Sorry for everyone who wanted a tragic ending, I just couldn't do it! I felt so bad for the hell I'd put everyone through, I had to, dammit, I HAD TO!**

**Anyway, I guess we should be grateful that Kagome's dad is a terrible drunk, and a moron at that! Let's just hope that's not something she can have as well, lest Toby start to share his gin.**

**I know this story had plenty of spelling mistakes and everything that I tried to fix but never got fixed...-_- Well, then that was an awful waste of time. Oh well, I shortened the story and that's good enough for me. ^_^**

**All in all I really enjoyed writing this. I actually started a sequel to this: Behind the mask. Its really a continuation a a few years later. Since I'm lazy, I didn't fix everything about the years and ages and time and detailed stuff, so If it confusing, sorry. The point was that in this story, shes seven and I really don't know how toby is, and in the sequel, She is 14 and he is 17. Again, sorry for the mistakes and my laziness.**

**Question: Should I keep asking questions in the sequel? Yes or no? Also, in the sequel (if you decide to read it, I won't force you to) should Kagome/Toby get a bf/gf? Just a penny for a thought.**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing, if you did. If you didn't and you got this far, thanks for reading anyway.**


End file.
